WRTA curb service underused in first week

By Denise Dick

Most of the calls for the new service came from the Boardman and Austintown areas.

YOUNGSTOWN — Fewer than 30 residents took advantage of new curb-to-curb transportation offered by the Western Reserve Transit Authority in its first week.

The program, called EasyGo, allows Mahoning County residents to call WRTA and schedule transportation on smaller buses from their home or other location to another place such as a doctor’s appointment. The cost is $3.50 one way or $2.50 one way for seniors and people with disabilities.

“We have to market it a little better,” said Jim Ferraro, WRTA executive director.

He suggested giving talks to groups and organizations about the service.

Most of the 26 calls for service last week came from the Austintown and Boardman areas, Ferraro said, although there was one from Sebring who rode to an appointment in Austintown.

Voters last November approved a 0.25- percent sales tax for the transit service, which is expected to generate $6 million annually. WRTA had pledged night and Saturday service would be restored, routes would be expanded and the door-to-door service implemented if the tax passed.

Weekend and night service was restored earlier this year. The expanded routes and door-to-door service started last week.

“It’s going to take some time” for the EasyGo program to catch on, Ferraro said.

More information is available at www.wrtaonline.com.

“I think when people understand it, they’ll jump right on it,” said Lee Kohler, WRTA board member.

As the weather turns bad, board member John P. Brown III said, people may start to use EasyGo and other public transportation more.

EasyGo is available from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Calls may be scheduled between one day and one week before an appointment. When calling to schedule a trip, riders must provide their name, day of desired travel, location to which travel is desired, time to be picked up and time for a pickup to return.

Trips are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Expanded fixed routes offer bus service into Struthers, parts of Boardman, including the St. Elizabeth Health Center Boardman, and Canfield and into Beaver Township.