"Metro" turns 50 years old Friday;
The Omaha area transit agency’s first day of service was Saturday, July 1st, 1972, when Omaha Mayor Eugene Leahy actually operated a "Metro Area Transit" bus down 30th St. in North Omaha in an obvious, made-for-the-news media photo op.
It was a hit;
One prominent passenger he picked up that morning was legendary Omaha attorney and historian Seymour Smith, who started praying when he realized Leahy was behind the wheel.
Smith was undoubtedly headed downtown to have coffee and hold court with some of his many legal and political friends at "Northrup Jones" cafe.
As a first cousin to the Mayor, this reporter, then in 7th grade, got to ride along that day.
Seymour Smith and Mayor Leahy, of course, both have parks named after them, and "Metro's" birthday coincides with the downtown "Gene Leahy Mall's" reopening after years of remodeling.
The Transit Authority of the City of Omaha was formed after the passage of LB 1275 in the Nebraska Legislature.
The bill was introduced to bring together a number of area transit services.
Bus service was expanded to Bellevue in October, 1972 and to Ralston, La Vista, and Papillion in June, 1974.
To celebrate, "Metro" is offering fare-free rides on all Metro, MOBY, and ORBT vehicles all day on Friday, July 1st.
(Picture from Metro)