PA: Route changes planned for Shenango Valley Shuttle Service

Changes are coming to the Shenango Valley Shuttle Service’s routes, and the public can weigh in before those changes take effect later this summer.

The shuttle service, which offers transportation along fixed routes, is operated by the Mercer County Regional Council of Governments, or COG.

Starting July 6, COG officials expect to roll out a series of updated routes for the Shenango Valley Shuttle Service that will improve efficiency for riders and operators, COG Executive Director Jill Boozer said.

“These changes are supposed to increase shuttle frequency and make rides shorter,” Boozer said.

The proposed route changes came about following the completion late last year of COG’s most recent Transit Development Plan, or TDP, which looked at ways to improve the shuttle service.

Input from riders and drivers was also incorporated.

Once the TDP was complete, COG officials looked at some of the plan’s suggestions that could be implemented based on the shuttle service’s budget and staffing.

Some changes include redirecting part of the southern route to run along Wallace and Spearman avenues in Farrell, or having the northern route take over some of the central route.

Saturday’s route will remain a combination of the central and northern routes, although it will be streamlined to provide greater focus on destinations such as Giant Eagle and Walmart, Boozer said.

“The Saturday route, as it is now, is very time-consuming and inefficient. We want to make sure we’re providing people access to essential places where they can get groceries and things they need,” Boozer said.

The Shenango Valley Shuttle Service will also no longer make trips to the Mercer County Courthouse due to staffing shortages.

COG Assistant Executive Director Michael Nashtock said the courthouse route had the shuttle service’s lowest ridership.

“It was probably less than a quarter of the ridership on our other routes,” Nashtock said.

Instead, the courthouse will become a designated stop service through Mercer County Community Transit, another service operated by COG, which provides transportation by appointment.

All of the updated routes will include layover periods staggered throughout, so that Hickory Fields can easily be added to the routes in the near future.

Hickory Fields is a mixed-use commercial development located at the site of the former Shenango Valley Mall, near the intersection of East State Street and North Hermitage Road in Hermitage.

Construction is currently underway on a Target department store, which is expected to open sometime early next year.

A Chick-fil-A, LongHorn Steakhouse and Chili’s have also been announced for the site, but even more businesses are expected to be located at Hickory Fields that have yet to be announced.

“We know people are going to want to go there when everything is done, so we planned for that with some of these route changes,” Boozer said.

Riders can visit COG’s website, mcrcog.com, to read the proposed route changes in their entirety. Physical copies are also available from shuttle drivers.

The community can provide input on these proposed changes by attending a public hearing at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at COG’s office at 2495 Highland Road, Hermitage.

Anyone unable to attend the public hearing can also call the COG office at 724-981-1561 or use the contact information listed on COG’s website.

All public comments must be received by May 20, when the COG Executive Board members will meet and vote on the proposed route changes.

If the changes are approved by the Executive Board, the changes will be implemented starting on July 6.

Despite the onset of the Iran war and the unrest surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, Boozer and Nashtock said COG officials have not yet seen any impacts caused by increased gas prices.

The shuttle service currently operates three shuttles that run on CNG, or compressed natural gas, with a fourth CNG bus expected by this fall, which would help lower some of the costs of regular gas.

Boozer added that if gas prices did get high enough, the shuttle service could potentially see an increase in ridership as people opt to use public transportation instead of paying for their own gas.

“It is a bit of a paradox, because we could see more riders, which would mean more fares, but it still wouldn’t necessarily offset the higher costs for us,” Nashtock said.

However, COG officials are in need of more full-time CDL drivers who would drive for both the Shenango Valley Shuttle Service and Mercer County Community Transit.

Advertising opportunities alongside both the shuttle service’s shuttles and the community transit’s buses are available as well.

Anyone interested in applying for the CDL driver positions or advertising opportunities can call the COG office.

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