LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) – The Allen County Regional Transit Authority (RTA) is looking to expand its services beyond county lines, with plans to begin transportation offerings in Van Wert.
The RTA is applying for a grant through the Ohio Department of Transportation as part of the Ohio Workforce Mobility Partnership Program. The funding would support a pilot program aimed at providing transportation for individuals commuting to and from work.
Van Wert officials approached the RTA earlier this year to learn more about its operations and discuss the possibility of extending service into the city.
“It will come in in phases,” said RTA Executive Director Brian Wildermuth. “We’ll probably start off with our demand response, which we do all over now anyway, and then probably look into a micro transit, which is like a zone area type thing. And then if everything goes well through a grant that we will be applying for — probably late next summer, early fall — then we’d look into a fixed route also.”
Wildermuth added that the goal is to begin the demand response service at the start of the new year.
