Fixed Route (Big Bus) Service from WRTA Will Return Monday, May 18

The “big buses” have begun rolling again in Mahoning and Trumbull Counties. WRTA resumed Fixed Route bus service on Monday, May 18.

All rides are free as through June 30, 2021. In light of the coronavirus pandemic, certain requirements will be enforced for all riders:

• All passengers must wear face coverings. Riders who are not wearing face coverings will not be permitted to board the bus.
• With the exception of wheelchair passengers or those with baby strollers, all passengers must enter the bus through the rear door.
• Social distancing must be observed for seating on the bus. Signs will be posted on the seats to enforce this policy.
• Only life-necessary trips are permitted. All riders must have a destination, and must get off of the bus when they reach it. Recreational and continuous riding is prohibited.
• Federal Station will remain closed, though buses will continue to arrive and depart from in back of the building.

For more information or any questions, call 330-744-8431.

WRTA Service Could Be Affected by Downtown Youngstown Protests

Due to ongoing protests in the downtown Youngstown area, it is possible that the regular routes of some WRTA buses may be affected.

WRTA Executive Director Dean Harris says drivers are authorized to deviate from their normal fixed routes in order to avoid crowds. Thus, WRTA riders may experience delays or detours.

More information is available by calling 330-744-8431.

Drive-Thru COVID-19 Testing Slated for June 10-11 at Covelli Centre

The City of Youngstown and Youngstown City Health District will host a drive-thru COVID-19 testing clinic June 10 and 11 from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm at the Covelli Centre in downtown Youngstown.

Individuals with COVID-19 symptoms or those with direct exposure to the virus can be tested at this event. Pre-registration is required; participants can register at www.quickmed-uc.com or by calling 724-734- 5235 or 330-759-0085. Registration opens at 8:00 am Friday, June 5 and will close at 12:00 pm Thursday, June 11.

Pre-registered patients will need to enter through the Covelli Centre’s main driveway located off of 229 E. Front Street. Participants must remain in their vehicles and follow traffic control cones and officers. Testing will also be available for patients walking to the facility. If walking, patients should enter through the Covelli Centre’s main plaza and stand in line near the VIP Entrance and main driveway turnaround. Youngstown Police Department will direct traffic flow into the Covelli Centre.

For further information please visit www.quickmed-uc.com.

 

Please Participate in the 2020 Census!

WRTA is urging all citizens of Mahoning and Trumbull Counties to take part in the 2020 Census.

It’s extremely important to WRTA, the riders it serves, and the entire community. As with many other nationwide programs, the results of the Census in the Mahoning Valley will directly impact the funding WRTA receives from the Federal and State Government.

A more accurate count will translate into more Federal and State funds, which will keep WRTA serving you at the highest possible level.

Please visit 2020census.gov  for more information. Or to fill out your Census form directly online, go to my2020census.gov

Major Changes to WRTA Services Coming Soon

The coronavirus outbreak has necessitated changes to services offered by The Western Reserve Transit Authority. These are the changes that have been implemented recently..

• Effective Monday, April 6, all WRTA Fixed Route bus service has been eliminated. This means large buses will no longer run in Mahoning or Trumbull Counties until further notice.
• WRTA is providing Enhanced Countywide (small bus) service from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday to all areas within Mahoning County, and Monday through Friday to all areas within Trumbull County.
• Countywide is a scheduled service, with rides provided at no cost during this state of emergency. Scheduled rides must be for work, medical and shopping purposes only. Countywide trips can be scheduled up to seven days in advance, but no later than 24 hours in advance.

Those who wish to use Countywide Service must call 330-744-8431 to register for the service. Once registered, riders can schedule a trip between 7 days and at least 24 hours in advance of the planned trip.

More information is available on the Countywide page of this website.

“We are taking these steps to protect our employees and to assist with the Stay-at-Home order from Ohio Governor Mike Dewine,” said WRTA Executive Director Dean Harris. “We will do all we can to accommodate the needs of our riders. We hope that they will limit their requests to only the most essential trips.”

For more information, call 330-744-8431.

Services Continue, but WRTA Offices Are Closed to the Public

While modified services are continuing, WRTA has closed its offices at 604 Mahoning Avenue to the public. We’re taking the same precautionary measures as other offices across the country by canceling in-person meetings and travel, disinfecting office space, and keeping abreast of public health developments.

If you need to contact WRTA about any matter, you should call (330) 744-8431, or use the Contact form on this website.

Free Fares on ALL WRTA Buses Until Further Notice

WRTA is offering free fares on all of its buses — including fixed route, ADA-All Access and Countywide service — for the duration of the coronavirus outbreak.

The free fare promotion will be continued until further notice. And while it originally had applied only to fixed route buses, rides will now also be free on WRTA’s paratransit services, which include ADA All-Access and Countywide small bus services.

WRTA Taking Steps to Deal with Coronavirus Concerns

In light of concerns, both globally and nationally, about the coronavirus pandemic, WRTA wants to assure riders that our buses remain safe to ride.

We have put the following measures in place:

• WRTA has always cleaned their buses after each day of service — wiping down all surfaces as needed, including fare boxes, seats, handrails, straps, etc. They have now implemented even more aggressive sanitizing procedures that include disinfectant spraying and cleaning, along with treating with electrostatic sanitizing equipment throughout the buses’
• Downtown Youngstown’s Federal Station will also undergo thorough cleaning and sanitizing several times a day.
• Employee work areas (lockers, break rooms, restrooms, etc.) at the WRTA yard on Mahoning Avenue are also on a more aggressive cleaning and sanitizing routine.
• Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) such as hand wipes and rubber gloves has been made available to all WRTA drivers.
• For passengers’ convenience, every WRTA Fixed Route bus has a hand sanitizer dispenser located immediately to the left of the driver seating area. This dispenser works automatically when one’s hand is placed beneath it; there is no need to touch any part of it.

Since direct person-to-person contact is still the primary means by which the coronavirus is spread, WRTA passengers are encouraged take their own precautionary measures at all times, including when riding the bus:

• Respect the personal space of others around you.
• Avoid shaking hands. If you do, try to wash them or apply hand sanitizer as soon as possible.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• If you cough or sneeze, cover it with a tissue, and dispose of the tissue in the trash. If none is available, cough or sneeze into the crook of your elbow.
• Wash your hands with soap and water frequently, taking at least 20 seconds to do so. Dry your hands thoroughly.
• If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol content.
• To the greatest extent possible, avoid large crowds.
• If you’re feeling sick, stay home from work and avoid contact with others until you’re well again.

Riders with questions can call WRTA Customer Service at (330) 744-8431.

WYTV Morning Show Broadcasts Live on One of Our Initial Warren Routes

 WYTV’s Daybreak Nation for Monday, March 2 featured four interview segments with reporter Christina Mullen and WRTA Executive Director Dean Harris. The interviews took place at the WRTA offices on Mahoning Ave. in Youngstown, and also on-board the bus that left the WRTA yard on Mahoning Avenue in Youngstown bound for the new junction point at High St and N. Park Ave in downtown Warren.

The two then rode together on the very first run of WRTA’s #74-Elm Rd. route for their final segment. You can see three of those morning show segments at this link.

In Celebration of Our New Warren Service — Free Rides on ALL Fixed Routes Mar. 2-7!

To mark the beginning of our new bus service in Warren, WRTA will offer free rides system-wide on all of its fixed route buses in Mahoning and Trumbull County for an entire week — Monday, March 2 through Saturday, March 7.

Rides will be free on the six new Monday–Friday fixed routes in Warren that begin operation Monday morning at 6:30; the newly expanded Warren Express route than connects Warren with Federal Station in downtown Youngstown; and all daytime and Nightline fixed routes that operate in Mahoning County. (WRTA Countywide and ADA All-Access buses are not included in this offer.)

“We’re very excited about bringing WRTA bus service to Warren,” said Dean J. Harris, Executive Director of WRTA. “This will be a tremendous benefit to Warren residents who need to go shopping, get to medical appointments or visit friends.

“We welcome brand new riders to WRTA and encourage them to try us out for free,” Harris said. “And we’re also happy to reward our loyal riders throughout the system with free rides for a week.”