Ozark Regional Transit has been in discussion with larger employers in the Springdale area in recent weeks. Addressing the needs of these companies with regard to employee turnover rates, and specifically as it is related to transportation issues, has been at the forefront of these discussion.
As a result, ORT has designed and will be implementing May 26, four demonstration routes that will traverse through neighborhoods and throughfares, not previously serviced by established bus routes. These routes will run through Sept. 4 and will begin as early as 3:05 a.m. and run as late as 2:00 a.m.
Staff at Tyson’s Berry St. plant have worked hand-in-hand with staff at ORT, outlining general areas where their employees live and the plant’s shift starting times. These new routes’ designs are the cumulnation of these joint efforts.
“This is the opportunity to show how public transit can truly impact a community,” said Joel Gardner, executive director of ORT.
ORT staff have stationed map displays and handouts at the Tyson-Berry St. plant for the past few weeks. They have been available to all Tyson employees to answer questions about the demonstration routes and how they intersect with existing routes.
Although the routes are completely open to the public at a fare of $1.25 one way, these routes, and all other ORT routes, will be available for Tyson-Berry St. employees for free with a Tyson-Berry St. Badge.
George’s Inc. is also participating in the demonstration routes. George’s employees at their plants on Kansas St. and Porter Ave. will also be able to ride all ORT routes with their respective ID badges.
“ORT will continue to work with these participants to streamline these routes,” Gardner explained, “and it is hoped that other larger employers will participate as we market to them going forward.”
A derivative benefit to the additional routes is that four of the five designated Springdale schools, with free-lunch programs this summer, are now accessible from ORT existing and demonstration routes. As previously released, kids ride free on ORT buses until Sept. 4.
