Transit service wants more EasyGo riders

By Denise Dick

Starting in 2010, buses will run on some holidays.

YOUNGSTOWN — The Western Reserve Transit Authority plans to expand its advertising to spread the word about its curb-to-curb service.

“We’re looking at TV,” said James Ferraro, WRTA executive director.

In September, the agency began EasyGo, a service that uses smaller buses to pick up residents at one location, such as their home, and transport them to another location, such as a doctor’s office or grocery store. The cost is $3.50 for a one-way trip and $2.50 for seniors and people with disabilities.

Tom Nugen, the agency’s director of transportation, said usage is picking up. “When we first started out, we only had a few people,” he said.

On Tuesday, 33 passengers used the service, covering more than 500 miles.

An additional 95 passengers used WRTA’s Special Service Transit service that same day, covering more than 600 miles.

The vehicles leave WRTA’s downtown station and head out to pick up passengers, contributing to the mileage.

SST, a program in place through the agency for years, is a small-bus service for seniors and people with disabilities who live within three-quarters of a mile of the area served by regular bus routes but have difficulty using the routes.

“A lot of people who call for [EasyGo] find out they’re eligible for the SST,” Nugen said.

The fare for SST is $2.50 per ride.

“We want to get the information out about how to use the service,” Ferraro said of EasyGo.

EasyGo, along with expanded routes, were part of the pledge made by WRTA when campaigning for a sales-tax increase on the November 2007 ballot.

Mahoning County voters approved the 0.25 percent sales tax for the transit service, which is projected to generate about $6 million annually.

Beginning sometime in 2010, WRTA also will run routes on some holidays. There still won’t be bus service on major holidays, when most businesses are closed, including Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.

“It’s not right to have the sales tax, collect it, live off of it and then leave people at home” when they have to go to work, the executive director said.

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.

Call 1-(877) 845-WRTA or (330) 744-8431 to schedule a ride using EasyGo. More information also is available at www.wrtaonline.com.

Ferraro said the agency is evaluating its routes to determine if changes are needed to accommodate more riders in some areas than others.

denise_dick@vindy.com