• During winter—and especially during weather events— dress appropriately for potential longer wait times in outdoor conditions.
• When the snow starts falling, expect service delays. Consider taking an earlier trip to arrive closer to your normal time. Track your bus in real-time using Transit mobile app.
• Buses will follow their normal routes as long as the streets are safe for travel. We work with city and county road crews to help make sure bus routes get plowed first.
• As snow or ice accumulates, some lines may be canceled due to road conditions. Others will be detoured to avoid parts of the route that are not safe to drive on.

Before you leave to catch a bus, check one of these sources for updates. If the start of service is delayed, an announcement will be posted by 5 a.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m. on weekends.

• Use Transit mobile app for announcements and to track your bus in real time. 
• Check the Delays and Detours section of the RPT website.
• Follow @RPT_ride on Twitter or Rochester Public Transit on Facebook for for the most current service alerts.
• Rider assistance is available daily when buses are in operation at 507-328-RIDE (7433)
• Local media is notified of service delays and suspensions, but there can be a lag before that information is broadcast.

• If your bus stop is in the middle of a hill, walk to the bottom or top of the hill where the operator can safely stop.
• Stand back from the curb until the bus comes to a complete stop and doors open. Buses can slide sideways in slippery conditions.
• When roads are snowy or icy, buses will not pull all the way over to the curb to avoid getting stuck. Be careful when walking between the bus and the curb.

LEVEL 1 WINTER WEATHER EVENT 

Slippery road conditions, falling snow, or a predicted three (3) inches or less of snow.

RPT Service impact:

• Delays likely on all routes
• Buses will not stop on hills
• ZIPS service delays expected
  
  

LEVEL 2 WINTER WEATHER EVENT

Snowy or icy road conditions with around 3 to 10 inches of snow expected. Timing or rate of ice or snow accumulation prevents clearing of some transit routes.

RPT Service impact:

• Delays on all routes
• Some routes may have to detour to avoid steep hills
• Routes or section of routes may be suspended if unplowed
• ZIPS Service delays. Non-essential or non-return trips may be cancelled
  
  

LEVEL 3 WINTER WEATHER STORM

Icy road conditions and/or 10+ inches of snow with additional accumulation expected. Timing or rate of ice/snowfall prevents clearing of many transit routes.

RPT Service impact:

• Significant delays 
• Some trips may be cancelled, routes or sections of routes may be suspended 
• Potential that all neighborhood fixed-route service will be suspended (delay the start of service in the morning, or end early in the evening).
• Park & Ride service may continue to operate to return commuters to their parked vehicles. 
• ZIPS Service suspended. 
  
  

LEVEL 4 SEVERE WINTER WEATHER STORM

National Weather Service declarers severe winter storm or blizzard warning with excessive snow and/or cold weather. Safe operation of transit service not possible. 

RPT Service impact:

• All transit service is suspended.