Workplace access pilot spawns first public transit program in Wayne County

Wayne County residents have a new – and affordable – way to get to work and other places in the county.

On Oct. 4, Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA) began offering microtransit transportation services to neighboring Wayne County residents for just $2.50 for a one-way ride.

Dubbed Wayne County Transit (WCT), the curb-to-curb service is open to anyone in Wayne County regardless of income.

The service marks what Melissa Pearce, president and CEO of Wooster-based Community Action Wayne/Medina, calls the county’s first “true public transit” offering.

“Any county resident can get any place in the county for $2.50 a ride,” she said. “You don’t have to live on a bus loop or find a way to get from your rural residence to a bus stop, which could be miles away. This is curb-to-curb service.”

Those residents using the WCT service to get to and from a new job can also commute to any county employment site for free during their first 20 days on the job.

“We wanted to give riders the opportunity to access better-paying jobs and generate a paycheck before they need to begin paying transit fare,” Pearce explained.

Continue the full story on Crain’s Cleveland.