TOLEDO, Ohio — Many things have had to change temporarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic including the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) schedule. Beginning June 28, TARTA will bring back the hours of service from before the pandemic.
In addition to the pre-COVID schedule coming back TARTA is also beginning Call-A-Ride service in the city of Rossford, continuing free fares through the summer months and is improving frequency on 10 routes. The following programs will also be getting updates:
• Fixed Route Bus Service: Weekday service from the Downtown Toledo Transit Hub will operate 6 a.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday service will operate 9 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. with extended hours of service to 9:30 p.m. on Routes 2C, 5C, 12, 14 19 and 31C. All routes will now run every 30 or 60 minutes.
• Paratransit Service/Toledo Area Regional Paratransit Service (TARPS): Weekday TARPS service will begin at 4:55 a.m. to 9:40 p.m. Saturday and Sunday service is extended to 7:50 a.m. to 10:20 p.m.
• Call-A-Ride: TARTA’s on-demand service available in Maumee, Ottawa Hills, Sylvania, Sylvania Township, Waterville and now Rossford. Customers will need to reserve their ride(s) the day before by 3 p.m. Multiple trips are allowed pending availability.
TARTA is rolling out many improvements, additional services and is hoping to fund transit with a different method. Currently, the transit service is funded with property taxes. TARTA will submit a levy request, for funds to come from sales tax to the Lucas County Levy Review Committee Meeting on June 22.
The proposed levy to help fund TARTA will be a 0.5% transit and transportation sales tax. This will replace the 2.5 mills of property tax that is currently being used. TARTA hopes after the committee meeting review that the proposed levy will be on the November 2, 2021, ballot.
