Transit agency receives state grant

With state funding for public transportation declining annually for nearly two decades, and the MCO sales tax cut for transit systems and counties across the state, Laketran recently received positive news.

The agency announced it will receive $970,536 through the 2018 Ohio Department of Transportation’s Ohio Transit Preservation Partnership Program, or OTP3.

The OTP3 priority is preservation of public transit services with an emphasis on replacement vehicles.

Laketran will use the funding to purchase eight propane Dial-a-Ride buses, doubling its current alternative-fueled fleet, with each vehicle costing about $114,000.

“Laketran has an aggressive goal to replace 14 buses a year and will continue to look for additional capital funding,” said General Manager Ben Capelle. “The more buses we have operating on propane, the more we reduce our fuel costs. Federal funding for vehicle replacement is becoming more difficult to come by and we appreciate ODOT’s initiative to allocate funding to keep our rolling stock in good condition.”

According to a Laketran news release, the first of the agency’s propane buses will be in operation next month, including a more efficient eight-passenger van designed to accommodate the more mobile senior population, which has contributed to a 14 percent increase in the agency’s Diala-Ride ridership over the past three years.

“We have been testing the new fleet and training drivers and mechanics,” Capelle said. “We’re excited to have them on the road to see what the customers think of them.”

During the Oct. 23 Laketran Board meeting, trustees saw the newest vehicle added to the Diala-Ride fleet, a Turtle Top VT3 built on a Ford Transit cutaway. The accessible eight-passenger van is equipped with a wheelchair lift, safety cameras, an electronic fare box, GPSenabled automatic vehicle locators, plus radios and rangers.

“This is the kind of transit investment we’re hoping to see more of from the state,” said Board President Brian Falkowski. “Laketran and Lake County residents will benefit from this investment as our Dial-aRide fleet becomes more efficient and environmentally friendly.”

CHAD FELTON — THE NEWS-HERALD Laketran’s newest Dial-a-Ride vehicle, a Turtle Top VT3, was unveiled Oct. 23 at the agency’s headquarters in Painesville Township.