The Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA) is the public transit system serving Stark County, Ohio. If you live in Canton, Massillon, Alliance, North Canton, or anywhere in Stark County and need to get to work, medical appointments, shopping, school, or connections to Akron and Cleveland — SARTA buses reach within ½ mile of 79% of the county's population. This guide covers routes, schedules, fares, transit centers, accessibility options, and how to plan your trip.
SARTA moves about 1.4 million riders each year — including seniors, students, workers, people with disabilities, veterans, and families. The system operates fixed-route buses, ADA paratransit (Proline), and regional connections to Akron METRO and the Akron-Canton Regional Airport. SARTA is primarily funded by a 0.25% county sales tax, making service affordable for riders while keeping the system sustainable.
SARTA Contact & Hours
Main Office & Bus Garage
1600 Gateway Boulevard SE, Canton, OH 44707
Phone: (330) 477-2782
Office Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Website: sartaonline.com
Bus Service Hours (Fixed Routes): 5:20 AM to 9:45 PM, Monday through Saturday
No Sunday Service. SARTA does not operate on Sundays. Sunday service is listed as a goal in the agency's Transit Development Plan 2030, but has not yet been restored.
Holidays SARTA does NOT run: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day. SARTA does operate on Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Good Friday, and Veterans Day.
Transit Centers — Where to Transfer
SARTA operates four main transit centers where routes connect, letting you transfer between buses and access customer service:
Cornerstone Transit Center (downtown Canton — main hub):
112 Cherry Avenue SE, Canton, OH 44702
Located at the corner of Cherry Avenue and East Tuscarawas Street in downtown Canton. The indoor customer service center handles tickets, schedules, and questions. Outdoor plaza accommodates 16 buses per hour. Opened August 2003. This is where most route transfers happen.
Belden Village Transit Center: Serves the Belden Village shopping area, local businesses, and colleges including Stark State and Kent State Stark. Routes connect to Aultman Medical Center North, Mercy Medical Center, The Strip shopping, Tinseltown Movies, and the Akron-Canton Airport (via Route 81).
Massillon Transit Center: Serves the southwestern part of Stark County. Routes connect Massillon to Canton via West Tuscarawas, to Walnut Hills and Lillian Beane Center, and to Walmart Massillon.
Alliance Transfer Center: Serves northeastern Stark County. Routes connect Alliance to downtown Canton via Mahoning Road.
Fare Structure — How Much Does It Cost?
SARTA offers several fare options to match different riding patterns:
Single ride (cash): Pay when boarding. Exact change required (bills up to $20 accepted). Request a transfer ticket if you need to ride a second bus.
All-Day Pass: $3.00. Unlimited rides on fixed routes for one day. Best deal if you are making multiple trips.
31-Day Pass: $45.00. Unlimited rides for 31 days. Break-even at about 15 round trips per month. If you commute daily or run regular errands via SARTA, this is the most economical option.
Community Shopping Bus: $0.75 each way ($1.50 round trip per person). Special service connecting senior housing facilities with shopping destinations.
Free rides: Children age 5 and under ride free. Stark State College students and faculty ride free with Stark State ID. Canton City Schools students grades 7-12 may ride free — see school administrator for details.
Reduced fares: Seniors 65+ and permanently disabled riders qualify for reduced fares. Purchase in person at any transit center during business hours with valid ID (Medicare card, senior photo ID, or disability documentation).
Discounted Student Pass: Available for eligible K-12 and college students.
Purchase options: Transit centers, online at sartaonline.com, the EZFare mobile app, SCORE cards reloadable at ticket vending machines, and Alliance Community Hospital.
Planning Your Trip
Google Maps Trip Planner (recommended): Go to SARTA's website and enter your starting point, destination, date, and time in the "Plan a Trip" form. Results include route numbers, stop locations, departure and arrival times, and walking directions to/from stops.
PinPoint Real-Time Tracking: Download the Mystop app (Apple or Android) or visit the PinPoint page on SARTA's website. PinPoint shows where buses are right now, lets you set up text/email alerts for your regular routes, and helps you time your arrival at the bus stop.
Printed schedules: Available at all four transit centers. Each route has its own schedule showing weekday and Saturday times (no Sunday service).
Travel Training: If you are new to transit or have questions about reading schedules, call the Travel Training Outreach Specialists at 855-887-2782. They offer free help learning to use SARTA effectively.
Proline — ADA Paratransit Service
For riders whose disabilities prevent them from independently using fixed-route buses, SARTA offers Proline — shared-ride, origin-to-destination service on specially equipped smaller vehicles operated by trained staff. Proline ADA Paratransit requires eligibility determination (ADA recognized disability). Proline PLUS offers additional flexibility for some riders.
How to schedule Proline: Rides must be reserved in advance — up to 4 days ahead but no later than 1 business day before the trip date. Call SARTA to start the eligibility process. Most SARTA fixed-route buses are also wheelchair accessible, so Proline is specifically for riders who cannot use fixed routes independently.
Major Destinations & Routes
Key destinations SARTA serves across 34 fixed routes:
Healthcare: Aultman Hospital, Aultman Medical Center North, Mercy Medical Center, Mercy Sports Medicine, Coleman Crisis Services, VA Clinic, Akron Children's Health Center North Canton, Alliance Community Hospital.
Shopping: Belden Village Mall, Canton Centre Mall, The Strip, Walmart (multiple locations: W. State, Tuscarawas, US62, Massillon), Giant Eagle, Fishers, Marc's, Menards, Meijer, Costco, Target, Lowes, Michaels.
Education: Stark State College, Kent State Stark, Malone University, McKinley Downtown Campus, Early College High School, Glenwood Middle School, Frazer Elementary, Glenoak High School.
Government/Services: Downtown Canton (court buildings, SCJFS, Social Security office), Board of Elections Office, US Post Offices, Stark County Library branches.
Regional Connections: Akron METRO (Route 81 to downtown Akron, transfer to Akron Metro Route 61 for Cleveland), Akron-Canton Regional Airport, Canton Towers and other senior housing.