On Sept. 28, Laketran’s Board of Trustees announced Laketran will be providing additional weeknight and Saturday local route bus and Dial-a-Ride service for the holiday season, as it has since 2011. The extended service hours will operate from Monday, Nov. 9, through Jan. 2, and include a full day of service on Veterans Day, which is federally observed.
“The extended hours temporarily restore service back to the level Laketran operated prior to service cuts in 2009 which were the result of a significant loss in sales tax revenues. Each year, Laketran reviews their budget with a goal to bring back service as sales tax revenues improves,” shared general manager Ray Jurkowski.
The Extended Holiday Hours ridership grew 15 percent in 2014, over the same eight weeks in 2013.
“About 60 percent of our riders use the bus to get to work and many of our riders are employees of local retail and restaurant businesses who can work later hours during the holiday season,” explains Laketran spokesperson Julia Schick. “The additional service allows all our customers to work and shop later locally whether they use local routes or Dial-a-Ride and by operating on Veterans Day, Park-n-Ride riders get an additional day of service into Cleveland.”
During holiday hours, Local Routes 1-6 will extend service from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weeknights and add Saturday service from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. operating every two hours. Dial-a-Ride service will operate weeknights until 10 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. with ADA Dial-a-Ride service available until 9 p.m.
