Metropolitan Transit Authority (Victoria)

Metropolitan Transit Authority

State-owned corporation overview
Formed	1 July 1983
Preceding agencies	Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board VicRail Melbourne Underground Rail Loop Authority
Dissolved	30 June 1989
Superseding agency	Public Transport Corporation
Jurisdiction	Victoria
Headquarters	Melbourne
Key document	Transport Act 1983

The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), known to the general public as The Met, was a Government of Victoria owned corporate body that operated suburban passenger trains, trams and buses in Victoria, Australia. It was set up under Section 15 of the Transport Act 1983 and commenced operation on 1 July 1983.^[1][2] It was a statutory body set up to manage the trams and buses formerly operated by the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board, the metropolitan train operations of the former VicRail, and the operations of the former Melbourne Underground Rail Loop Authority.

The authority employed more than 12,000 people across five divisions in 1984/85. The aim of the authority was to integrate the provision of public transport in Melbourne. A green and gold livery was adopted for vehicles, with a yellow trefoil logo and "Metropolitan Transit" tagline (later changed to "The Met"). In April 1985, it purchased Melbourne-Brighton Bus Lines with 37 buses. A single Harris train was painted in a trial all-over green and gold livery (similar to the previous Victorian Railways blue and gold livery) however the train reverted to blue prior to re-entering service, with subsequent Comeng, Hitachi and refurbished Harris trains receiving only green and yellow adhesive stickers between the windows rather than being painted. Non-refurbished Harris trains retained the Victorian Railways blue and gold until their withdrawal.