COLUMBUS, Ga. - A single ride on a METRA bus in Columbus costs $1.30, the system runs 10 routes with 15 buses from 4:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and a 31-day pass is $53. Those are the basics, according to METRA's pages on the Columbus Consolidated Government website. Here is how to use the system, what it costs and where it goes.

METRA is the city's bus service, run by the Columbus Consolidated Government out of a transfer center and administrative office at 814 Linwood Blvd., at the corner of Linwood Boulevard and Ninth Avenue. Its roots go back to 1924, when the Columbus Transportation Company was incorporated to run buses in the Columbus and Phenix City area, according to METRA's history page. The city later bought the company's assets and runs the service today as METRA.

The fares

Fort Benning trips are priced separately on METRA's fare page, which still lists them under the post's former name, Fort Moore: $1.90 for adults and $0.95 for seniors and disabled riders with ID. The fare boxes take bills and coins but do not make change, and METRA's rider guide says operators do not carry change either. Riders need the exact fare, a one-way ticket or a swipe card.

Swipe cards give unlimited rides for a set period and are sold at the Transfer Center from 4 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. A 7-day card is $15.50 for adults and $7.75 for seniors and disabled riders, a 14-day card is $28 and $14, and a 31-day card is $53, $26.50 or $23 for students.

Who qualifies for half fare

Riders 62 and older and riders with a physical or mental disability pay half fare, and METRA requires a valid ID with proof of age or an eligibility certificate, according to its fares page. A Medicare card with a photo ID also works. Applications for the Senior Citizen ID card and the Disabled Reduced Fare Eligibility Certificate are posted on the METRA site.

Students at Columbus schools pay $1.00 a ride or $23 for a 31-day pass. They can show a current school ID with an expiration date, or buy a $6 METRA student ID from METRA. METRA requires a completed application for the student fare.

The 10 routes

METRA lists 10 active routes, numbered 1 through 12 with Routes 8 and 11 discontinued. Route 4 to Fort Benning was revised in July. The individual route maps and stop lists are posted on the Route Information page.

• Route 1: East Wynnton
• Route 2: Cusseta Road and Oakland Park
• Route 3: St. Mary's Road, Buena Vista Road and Schatulga Road
• Route 4: Fort Benning
• Route 5: North Highland, Columbus State and Peachtree Mall
• Route 6: Columbus State and Milgen Road
• Route 7: Columbus South
• Route 9: Bradley Park and Columbus Park Crossing
• Route 10: Airport Thruway and Veterans Parkway
• Route 12: Veterans Parkway, Civic Center and Victory Drive

Buses run from 4:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, according to METRA's FAQ page, and hours vary by route, so riders should call the Transfer Center at 706-225-4673 for specifics. There is no listed Sunday service. METRA posts an annual holiday schedule on its site.

How to ride, in 5 steps

1. Plan the trip. The free METRAmobile app for iPhone and Android tracks buses in real time, estimates arrivals, shows how full a bus is and includes a trip planner; the same tools are at metracolumbus.com.

2. Get to a stop early. METRA's rider guide says to wait at a blue, white and orange METRA sign three to five minutes before the scheduled time, and it stresses that buses stop only at marked bus stops.

3. Board through the front door with exact fare, a ticket or a swipe card. Check the route number on the bus, because some stops are served by more than one route.

4. Signal your stop by pressing the yellow tape or pulling the cord near the windows. Stay seated until the bus stops fully, then exit through the rear door when possible.

5. Follow the rules. Radios require earphones, eating, drinking and smoking are not allowed, and packages cannot occupy seats.

Every bus is wheelchair accessible with tie-downs, according to METRA's FAQ, and front seats are reserved for seniors and riders with disabilities. Service animals are allowed. A TDD line is 706-653-4414.

Dial-A-Ride for riders who cannot use the bus

Dial-A-Ride is METRA's ADA paratransit service, a shared-ride, advance-reservation service for riders whose disabilities keep them from using the fixed routes for some or all trips. Riders must apply first, online at my.sparelabs.com/metra or with a paper form in English or Spanish, and the eligibility office can be reached at 706-225-4596. Service runs within three-quarters of a mile of a METRA bus route and only when buses are running.

Trips can be booked up to 14 days ahead and no later than the day before, and METRA says it cannot take same-day requests. Hours are 4:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with the last pickups at 7:30 p.m. The fare is $2.50 each way in cash, or with a 5-ride pass for $12.50, a 9-ride pass for $22.50 or a $5 Smart Card that is then loaded at $2.50 a ride.

The free Uptown shuttle

Roll With Us is METRA's free on-demand shuttle in Uptown, using five-passenger solar-panel golf carts, according to its page on the METRA site. It runs 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. The service area runs from Bay Avenue to First Avenue and from Ninth Street to 14th Street, and riders cannot cross 13th Street except to reach 14th Street by way of Front Avenue.

Rides are requested through a scheduling link or QR code on the Roll With Us page. The main METRA page also lists an Uptown Shuttle number, 706-225-4504. General questions go to the administrative office at 706-225-4581 or [email protected].