The Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) solidified plans on July 20 to bring fixed route, paratransit and on-demand service to the city of Oregon, Ohio, beginning Jan. 7, 2024, as the next step in the authority’s TARTA Next redesign and expansion.
TARTA’s Board of Trustees has approved a plan to extend Route 2 to destinations in Oregon, with service every 30 minutes, including stops at St. Charles Hospital, Walmart and other destinations on Navarre Avenue. The plan for Route 2 would provide Oregon residents with a one-seat ride to Franklin Park Mall, Flower Hospital and every other stop along Monroe Avenue. Transfers at TARTA’s Transit Hub will put Oregon businesses in touch with Toledo’s workforce and Oregon residents in touch with nearly all of TARTA’s coverage area.
“We are excited to get service to Oregon on the road,” said TARTA CEO Laura Koprowski. “I want to thank the city of Oregon’s leadership for being partners with TARTA to bring public transit to their community in a way that makes sense for Oregon residents and employers. Since this process began, we have heard from so many people in Oregon who are in need of paratransit or other services to get them to essential destinations. We do not believe transportation should be a barrier to anyone seeking a better job, an education or to taking advantage of any of the great things this region has to offer. While there is still so much work to do, we are excited to be taking this step toward improving mobility for the people of northwest Ohio.
Additional services
Once fixed route service begins, Oregon residents will also have access to paratransit and TARTA Flex services.
Customers whose pick-up address is within ¾ of a mile of any regular TARTA stop in Oregon will be eligible to apply for paratransit services. Those with a qualifying disability can schedule trips anywhere in TARTA’s coverage area for $3 each way.
Oregon will also join the list of communities eligible for TARTA Flex on-demand service. The cities of Rossford and Oregon would be combined into one Flex Zone, meaning Oregon residents will be able to request an on-demand ride anywhere in those communities in a fully accessible vehicle for $3 each way.
The route
Under the proposal approved July 20, Route 2 would continue through east Toledo via Main Street and Starr Avenue. The bus would turn left on Wheeling Street before heading down Navarre Avenue and will return to downtown and beyond via the same route.
Every Route 2 trip from Oregon will go to Franklin Park Mall while every other Route 2 bus will continue from there to Flower Hospital. A bus would arrive at each Oregon stop every 30 minutes during TARTA’s weekday operating hours, with service every hour on holidays and weekends.
“This service – as well as the paratransit and on-demand services that come with it – will increase mobility options for the people of Oregon,” Koprowski said. Tying the Flex service in Rossford and Oregon together will serve to benefit both communities and expand access for the people living there to doctors, entertainment and everything else. “The businesses that are hiring in Oregon, Toledo and everywhere else in the region deserve access to our entire workforce – not just the potential employees who live in certain areas or have access to a reliable car, but everyone willing to put in a good day’s work. Strong cities have strong public transportation systems, and I believe the system we are still building here will benefit the entire community.”
TARTA Next
As part of its TARTA Next redesign and expansion, TARTA will continue to evaluate options to add or enhance services in northwest Ohio. Changes brought about due in part to work on TARTA Next – aside from expansion into Oregon – have included:
- Resumption of Sunday and holiday service
- TARTA Flex
- Extension of fixed route service to Holland
- New vehicles
- New shelters
- Through TARTA Flex, expanding the number of people for whom public transportation is a viable, affordable option
Many of the changes resulting from TARTA Next came directly from suggestions provided by TARTA customers and community leaders. TARTA Next was launched with the belief that an improved transit system can serve as an economic driver and pave the way to education, jobs, entertainment and more for the Toledo community.
