Restored services pleasing to riders

By KATIE SEMINARA

WRTA users say they are able to have more flexible lives now that night and Saturday services are back.

YOUNGSTOWN — The restoration of night and Saturday services by the Western Reserve Transit Authority means one thing to Louise Anderson — more freedom.

“I’m so happy,” said Anderson, 59, of Youngstown.

“I’ve already started, I’m riding two nights this week,” she said with excitement.

The services brought back Monday were cut almost two years ago.

The WRTA also added other routes including the 40-Austintown bus that goes to Wal-Mart on Mahoning Avenue and the 31-Oak bus that services Campbell and Struthers-Liberty Road.

These services were restored because of two federal grants the WRTA received, as well as the remainder of the Youngstown property tax, said Tom Nugen, director of transportation.

Tonight Anderson plans to visit her mom, and Wednesday night she is traveling to Austintown, both trips courtesy of the revived night services.

“And we’re going to church on Saturday,” she added.

Anderson and her husband usually walk to church, but lately the weather has kept them home. Now that the Saturday buses are running again, Anderson was glad to say she’d be in church this week.

Anderson is blind and has used WRTA services for more than 30 years. Anderson takes the buses to work, but with the added services, she said she has even more independence.

“It’s wonderful,” she said.

“I can’t wait to go to Wal-Mart and the drugstore,” Anderson said ahs she listed other places she’ll be going.

Jim Donnan, 59, of Austintown is also blind and uses WRTA buses to get to Youngstown State University, where he is a limited service instructor of telecommunications.

“What it does for me, especially for work purposes, is it gives me more flexibility,” he said of the restored services.

Donnan sets up appointments with students and said it’s difficult to arrange times due to conflicting schedules. Now he’ll be able to meet students in the evening, as well as on Saturdays.

“It does make a big difference,” he said.

Donnan extended his thanks, on behalf of all those who use WRTA services, to voters in the Mahoning Valley, saying their actions last November were “pretty generous.”

In November 2008 voters approved a 0.25 percent, five-year sales tax to help fund WRTA. The tax will enable the WRTA to implement more services throughout the year, including countywide services.

The sales tax starts being collected in April, but the WRTA will not likely see any revenue until the summer, Nugen said. Because of that lag time, countywide services won’t start until September, he said.

Though the countywide services will come later in the year, Donnan said he thinks they will assist many.

“It will open up greater opportunities,” he said.

For more information on newly added services and upcoming services, visit www.wrtaonline.com.