OH: ‘We need this’: Elyria backs extension of popular low-cost transit program

The Elyria Planning Commission unanimously supported a quarter-million dollar funding request Tuesday that would extend a popular new transportation service that has become essential for thousands of local residents.

The Via LC program launched last July as a one-year pilot program in Elyria and Lorain. But with the year almost up, officials have been strategizing how to keep it operational for another 12 months.

Lorain County Commissioner David Moore shared Tuesday that while partnerships will be a key component of the program’s success moving forward, the mayors of both cities were approached for financial contributions as well.

Unlike traditional bus routes, Via LC works like a ride-sharing service, allowing users to request transportation through a phone app or by placing a call. Riders pay just $2 per trip, with reduced rates for students ($1) and free rides for seniors.

Moore highlighted the program’s impact during Tuesday’s meeting, contrasting it with decades of struggling public transportation in the region.

“I was a commissioner in 2001 and that’s all they talked about,” Moore said. “I come back 20 years later and that’s all they’re talking about. Nobody was doing anything.”

Over the past year, rides have served key destinations like hospitals, grocery stores and doctors’ offices. Councilman Brad Armstrong shared that in Elyria alone, Via LC has completed nearly 32,000 rides since launching, with close to 2,000 regular users relying on the service.

“This is very much needed, and I only see it being more used because people are really seeing what it can do,” Armstrong said. “So, I’m very proud and I will support this no matter what because we need this.”

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