NILES-TRUMBULL TRANSIT Officials examine progress after first year of system

NTTS and WRTA continue to work on a transfer policy.
By SHERRI L. SHAULIS
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
NILES -- As officials gathered to reflect on the first full year of service by the Niles-Trumbull Transit System, they also learned there are still some minor funding issues to work out to continue the program.
Mark Hess, Niles city engineer and grant coordinator, told participating representatives Thursday that NTTS has enough money left from initial grants and funding from participating communities to continue operations through the end of November. Plans are to have revenue sources in place by that time.
Hess noted the Eastgate Regional Council of Governments has created a subcommittee to evaluate the pilot year of NTTS and make a recommendation to the technical advisory committee and the general policy board on whether the program should continue.
NTTS is a demand-response busing system operated throughout Trumbull County. The buses are operated by Community Bus Services.
The brainchild of Niles Mayor Ralph A. Infante, the program is primarily funded through state and federal funds, as well as monies from local communities.
Each community participating in the NTTS program pays $1 per resident to allow riders in those area to receive cheaper fares. Riders from nonparticipating communities are charged a slightly higher rate.
Last year, Eastgate allotted $248,500 in federal funds to help fund the program, with the stipulation that the program would be evaluated after one year of service.
If the committee agrees Monday that the program is worthwhile to continue, it will move to the next phase, when Eastgate will look at providing money from the Federal Transit Authority to fund operations.
Transfer points
Hess noted that, in the meantime, NTTS will continue working toward an agreement with officials from the Western Reserve Transit Authority to develop a transfer policy between the two systems.
Currently, he said, NTTS and WRTA leaders are considering stops in Liberty and possibly near the Eastwood Mall in Niles as viable transfer points.
"We are hoping to have an agreement worked out within a month or so," Hess said.
To date, NTTS has provided 18,354 trips and covered more than 265,000 miles, explained Kathy Baltes of CBS.
"This shows there is a need for the service and people are using it," she said.
Infante noted that while total trips for the first year might be lower than original predictions, it's still a new system that needs promotion.
"We are going to keep trying to bring in new communities," he said. "We want this to be countywide."
slshaulis@vindy.com