LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) — Allen County Regional Transit Authority (RTA) will expand its services to Van Wert County next month. Starting Jan. 19, the agency will offer door-to-door rides Monday through Friday from 6:20 a.m. to 6:15 p.m.
The rides will use small, handicap-accessible buses, similar in size to a large van. The expansion is funded through a workforce mobility grant from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and aims to provide new transportation options for commuting to work, attending medical appointments, or shopping.
The idea began with conversations between Van Wert officials and Allen County RTA in the spring and developed into a service that officials say will benefit both counties.
“When they reached out and was just wanting to try to get something for over there, and then they shared with us, you know, some of the hurdles that they were going into, and that the fact that we could do it and help out both here Allen County and Van Wert County, because we have almost 3,000 people that commute back and forth or one way or the other between the two counties on a daily basis,” said Brian Wildermuth, executive director of operations for Allen County RTA.
RTA has already started signing up riders for the new service.
“I was informed a couple weeks ago that we've had at least a good handful already contact over about getting accounts set up and all that for and to get ridership and people moved around two different jobs and appointments,” Wildermuth added.
Allen County RTA will host two “Learn to Ride” sessions on Friday, Jan. 9, and Thursday, Jan. 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at its facility. Those interested in learning about the service, including costs, payment methods, and scheduling rides, can visit the Allen County RTA website or Facebook page.
Media Release from Lima/Allen County Regional Planning Commission
RTA to begin transportation services next month in Van Wert County
LIMA—Allen County Regional Transit Authority (ACRTA) announced today that it will begin transportation services on Jan. 19 in Van Wert County. This announcement follows details released last month about the state's investment in new transportation opportunities, called the New Ohio Workforce Mobility Partnership.
More than $13 million is being provided in grant allocations across the state of Ohio for expanding transit services. ACRTA has been awarded a portion of this amount for a one-year pilot program in Van Wert County, which has been used to purchase two vehicles and will also subsidize ride costs.
ACRTA Executive Director-Operations Brian Wildermuth said, “People will now have more options to go to work, shop, get to school, socialize, or get to appointments.”
In recent years, the need for more transportation options has increased not only within Van Wert County, but also in other surrounding counties.
While Van Wert County currently has transportation options available, they are mainly for medical trips, senior citizens, or those with disabilities. This new service will provide additional options for the general public for any transportation needs.
“We think we’ll have a good response from this, and we look forward to connecting our communities and helping bridge the transportation gap so many people face,” Wildermuth said.
Not only will the new service assist people in traveling within Van Wert County, but it will also help connect people between Van Wert County and Allen County by utilizing a transfer point in Delphos.
More than 3,000 employees commute to and from Van Wert and Allen Counties daily, and interconnectivity needs between many counties are continuing to rise, according to the Lima[1]Allen County Regional Planning Commission and survey data from the 2022 and 2023 U.S. Census.
All rides, which will be on small handicap accessible buses that look similar to large vans, will be offered to the public with door-to-door service in two ways: microtransit and demand[1]response.
Microtransit rides will start at $3 each way and will operate within two zones in Van Wert County. One zone will be within the city limits of Van Wert, and the other will be on the northeast side of the county. Demand response rides will start at $6 each way and will provide door-to-door service anywhere in the county. Ride prices will increase slightly when crossing service zones or traveling farther distances.
Both ride options will run from 6:20 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. Monday through Friday. There will be no service on Saturdays, Sundays, or major holidays. Rides will need to be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance. Maps with route details and cost sheets will be distributed in early January.
“There have been dozens of organizations and elected officials in Van Wert County helping to develop this program, and we’ve been so glad to partner with them. It’s really made a big difference in getting this up and running. If the program is successful, there is potential to expand it to include fixed-route bus service,” Wildermuth said.
ACRTA and Van Wert County officials will host two “Learn to Ride” sessions that will be free and open to the public on Friday, Jan. 9 and Thursday, Jan. 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. “Folks will get a quick lesson in riding and have the chance to hop on and off, so it will be a good time to help inform people and get them comfortable,” Wildermuth said.
More information about Van Wert County’s microtransit, demand-response, trip cost maps, how to schedule and pay for rides, and any other information can be found on the ACRTA rider app, the ACRTA Facebook page, at www.acrta.com under Schedule & Routes – Van Wert, or by calling 419-222-2RTA (419-222-2782).
