Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority

Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) is a public transit agency that has been transporting people in the Toledo area of Ohio since 1971. TARTA services 32 bus routes[1] in and around the Toledo metropolitan area serving nine communities and carries approximately 3.5 million passengers each year. Every TARTA bus uses biodiesel fuel, and is equipped with bicycle racks.[2] The transit authority has special buses designed especially for disabled riders called TARPS (Toledo Area Regional Paratransit Service), which acts along the lines of the Americans with Disabilities Act.[3]

Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority
Founded1971
HeadquartersToledo, Ohio
Service areaGreater Toledo. U.S.
Service typebus service, paratransit
DestinationsLucas County Ohio
HubsCherry and Huron
Annual ridership1,874,162 (2022)
Fuel typebiodiesel
Chief executiveMary Morrison, president
Kendra Smith, vice president
Laura Koprowski, Chief Executive Officer
WebsiteTARTA.com

In 2013, TARTA launched TARTA Tracker, which uses satellites and predictive computer software to identify bus locations in real-time and to anticipate arrival times of buses at various stops, also in real-time. TARTA Tracker is available in a desktop/laptop edition, mobile edition – both at www.TARTATracker.com – and a phone edition at 419-243-RIDE (7433).[4]

In summer 2009, TARTA added 40 new buses to its fleet, including 10 mini- and 18 full-sized buses, in addition to 11 expanded buses for its TARPS fleet. The new buses were purchased with $7 million in federal money.[5]

In April 2018, the University of Toledo agreed to transfer the management of its busing service to TARTA as a cost-saving measure. As part of the deal, TARTA will provide free rides on any bus to all UT students, faculty, and staff.[6]

In 2019, TARTA announced plans for a three-year pilot program to transport passengers on an autonomous shuttle. It would have been funded by a $1.8 million federal grant.[7] Due to regulatory limitations with federal grants, the plan for the autonomous shuttle had to be postponed.[8]

In August 2022, fare collection resumed at pre-COVID rates systemwide.[9]

Routes
A TARTA bus at the Toledo Museum of Art

The buses have routes in Toledo and its suburbs, including Maumee, Ottawa Hills, Rossford, Sylvania, Sylvania Township, and Waterville. This includes service to Fifth Third Field for all Toledo Mud Hens home baseball games and the Huntington Center for all home Toledo Walleye hockey games, as well as throughout Lourdes University, Owens Community College, and the University of Toledo. Call-A-Ride service is available in each of these locations.[2]

Green Initiatives
  • All TARTA buses fueled by biodiesel
  • TARTA Participated in a study conducted by the Intermodal Transportation Institute at The University of Toledo to investigate the impacts of using a mixture of renewable biofuel and diesel fuel
  • TARPS facility features solar and geothermal technology
  • Sustainability Commitment with the American Public Transportation Association
  • TARTA is a member of the Toledo-Lucas County Sustainability Commission[10]

See also

References
  1. "Routes & Schedules". TARTA. 7 July 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  2. "TARTA". TARTA. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  3. "TARPS information". TARTA. Archived from the original on February 13, 2010. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  4. Ottney, Sarah (September 26, 2013). "TARTA debuts computerized bus-tracking system". Toledo Free Press. Archived from the original on 2013-11-17.
  5. "TARTA gets new buses with stimulus money". 13abc. August 27, 2009. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011.
  6. "UT partners with TARTA to run campus transit services". TARTA. April 16, 2018. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  7. "Autonomous Vehicle Program". TARTA. June 21, 2018. Archived from the original on October 20, 2019.
  8. Patch, David (August 11, 2019). "One year later, TARTA's autonomous shuttle plan 'on hold'". Toledo Blade. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  9. "Fares and Passes". TARTA. February 2, 2023. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  10. "Sustainability commitment". TARTA. TARTA. November 12, 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
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