WARREN — Nearly all of he bus service to Trumbull County provided by the Western Reserve Transit Authority will come to an end Sept. 8, because an approximately $1 million grant from the Ohio Department of Transportation was not renewed.

All Trumbull County routes, except the Warren Express route, will be eliminated due to the loss of ODOT funding.

“The 70 routes, which includes both the Lordstown Express and North Jackson Express, as well as fixed routes in and around Warren, will be affected by these cuts,” Dean Harris, WRTA executive director, said.

WRTA began providing the routes in March 2020.

The use has grown from approximately 20,000 riders in its first year to about 41,000 riders in 2022, according to Harris.

“At its current pace, we projected these routes would have had about 50,000 riders by the end of the year, if we were able to maintain service,” Harris said. “Ridership on the routes was growing. We believe this was a success.”

Harris said WRTA did not receive an explanation why the grant was not renewed. The state grant was the only source of funds for the routes.

“Last month, WRTA had 7,691 riders on these routes,” Harris said. “The number of riders were growing every month. These routes are very important. People using them are able to get to doctor appointments, to shop for groceries and go to their jobs.”

The routes are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday.

He said the routes were hurt during the first few months of service, because they began in March 2020, when much of the country was closing due to COVID-19. There also was a period when WRTA had to temporarily shut down due to funding issues.

Harris said WRTA will continue to look at alternative options. “We have not come up with solutions,” he said.

Mike Salamone, Trumbull County’s transit administrator, told Trumbull County commissioners Wednesday he previously presented them a three-year plan to provide transit. It includes continuing the program that provides transportation to elderly and disabled residents, have the county begin the process to join WRTA, or a hybrid of both.

The plan he presented to commissioners is scheduled to be completed in 2025. At that time, commissioners will have to decide how to move forward.

Commissioner Niki Frenchko is supportive of joining WRTA and allowing voters to decide whether they want public transportation in Trumbull county.

Commissioner Mauro Cantalamessa said many communities in northern Trumbulll County are not interested in joining WRTA.

“I’m not going to advocate for a $7 million tax,” Cantalamessa said.

Malloy said he was not a commissioner during the discussions about the county joining WRTA, so he would have to learn more.

Diane Siskowic-Jurkovic, Senior Levy administrator, said senior citizens and those who are disabled will not be affected by the discontinuation of WRTA’s routes.

“We have a registration process,” she said. “Once registered, you can schedule with transportation providers. You have to call two days before you need transportation.”

rsmith@tribtoday.com