(WKBN) – Almost all of the bus services to Trumbull County provided by WRTA will end on September 8.
All 70 routes, excluding the Warren Express route, will be stopped because of the loss of ODOT funding. The state didn’t say why the funding ended.
The WRTA started providing these routes in March 2020 when it received a $1 million grant.
Since that first year, use has grown from 20,000 riders to about 41,000 in 2022.
WRTA executive director Dean Harris says this will affect about 6,000 people a month who use these routes, and ridership was on track to triple this year.
“It came as a big surprise. We were really expecting to get the money again because this would’ve been the fourth year [of] funding. With the way the ridership was going, we thought we’d get another year,” Harris said.
Harris says they’re working with the Trumbull County commissioners and the city of Warren on alternate funding.
He also says those with disabilities who live within 3/4 of a mile of the remaining Warren Express route will continue to receive ADA service. Others should reach out to Trumbull County Transit for alternate senior and disability transportation.
