Stark Area Regional Transit Authority

Last updated
Stark Area Regional Transit Authority
Stark Area Regional Transit Authority 2018 and on logo.png
SARTA Gillig -1298 (11198856014).jpg
A SARTA bus in downtown Cleveland
Founded1997
Headquarters1600 Gateway Blvd SE
Canton, Ohio
Service area Stark County, Ohio
Service type bus service, paratransit
Routes32
Stops1,554
Stations4
Fleet80
Daily ridership4,800 (weekdays, Q2 2024) [1]
Annual ridership1,371,600 (2023) [2]
Fuel type Diesel, Diesel-electric hybrid, CNG, Hydrogen Fuel Cell
Chief executiveKirt Conrad
Website sartaonline.com

Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA) is a public sector transit agency servicing Stark County, Ohio. In addition to its regular line service within Stark County, SARTA runs one bus route (with multiple times) between Canton and downtown Akron, connecting to Akron's METRO RTA bus system and also serving the Akron-Canton Regional Airport from both cities and one route to Cleveland [3] starting March 4, 2013. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 1,371,600, or about 4,800 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2024.

Contents

SARTA's administrative office and bus garage are located in Canton. It is managed by CEO/Executive Director Kirt Conrad, as well as a 9-member board of trustees. [4] SARTA is primarily funded by a county 0.25% sales tax which was first approved in 1997 and renewed in 2002, 2006 and 2011. [5]

History

On December 1, 1997, the Canton Regional Transit Authority became the Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA) and service to all of Stark County was established. [6]

SARTA is governed by a nine-member Board of Trustees with the Executive Director/CEO serving as Secretary/Treasurer. The members are appointed to a three-year consecutive term. Appointments are made by the Stark County Council of Government, Stark County Commissioners, and the cities of Canton, Massillon and Alliance. [4]

SARTA employed approximately 190 individuals as of June 15, 2012. The position breakdown is approximately 63% Coach Operators, 12% Mechanics and Service Personnel (who service a fleet of 80 revenue buses and 12 non-revenue service vehicles), 25% Administrative Staff and a couple Part-time Employees and/or Interns.

As SARTA grew, satellite offices were added to better serve the county's public transportation needs. SARTA established four transfer stations and customer service offices. The Alliance Transfer Center was created to serve northeastern Stark County. The Massillon Transfer Center was created to serve the southwestern part of the county. The downtown Canton Transfer Center (also known as Cornerstone) was created to serve the heart of Stark County. The Belden Village Transit Center was opened to serve the Belden Village shopping area, as well as businesses and local colleges.

Transit Centers

Canton Cornerstone Transit Center in downtown Canton is the main transfer hub for SARTA. It is located in downtown Canton at 112 Cherry Avenue SE at the corner of Cherry Avenue and East Tuscarawas Street. Operations began on August 6, 2003. The center is named Cornerstone. The new transit center includes both an indoor customer service center and an outdoor bus-boarding plaza that accommodates 16 SARTA buses per hour. The 3,163-square-foot (293.9 m2) facility also provides interior and exterior amenities for Lakefont Lines (previously Greyhound Lines) through an occupancy agreement with SARTA. Approximately 200 guests attended the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the intermodal facility.

'Canton Cornerstone Routes' - 4, 81, 101, 102, 103, 105, 106, 107, 108, 110, 111, 113, 114, 117, 118, 119, 139, 151, 152, 153, 157

The Alliance Transfer Center is located at 10 Prospect Street in Alliance. It replaced an older, smaller facility a few blocks away and officially opened on November 23, 2008. [7]

'Alliance Routes' - 130, 131, 132, 133, 139

The Massillon Transfer Center is now being constructed at a new location at 227 Tommy Henrich Drive NW off of Lincoln Way East and State Route 21. The original Massillon Transit Center at 41 Erie Street South had opened November 24, 2001 and now closed on December 17 2021.

'Massillon Routes' - 102, 122, 124, 125, 126, 128, 152, 157

The Belden Village Transfer Center opened on September 1, 2011, and is located at 4700 Whipple Avenue NW in Canton. [8] The $2.5 million facility replaced an outdoor transfer point at Higbee Avenue NW and Munson Street NW. [8] The building features improved amenities such as a climate-controlled interior, restrooms, vending machines, free wireless internet service, [9] a passenger drop-off lane and interior and exterior waiting areas. [10] The building is also anticipated to be LEED Silver certified and incorporates many energy saving features such as geothermal heating. [10]

'Belden Village Routes' - 45, 81, 105, 106, 121, 125, 151

Route List

Service

SARTA transported over 2.4 million riders in 2011, up 300,000 from 2010. [11] All vehicles in SARTA's fleet can operate as fixed route buses. Thirty-seven vehicles are demand-response/paratransit (Proline) vehicles. [6] SARTA operates 33 fixed routes as of June 2012. [12] Both fixed route and Proline service operate more than 20 hours each day except Sundays and certain holidays. [12]

The fixed route service fleet covers an average of 7,500 miles per day and reaches within ½ mile of 79% of Stark County's population. [6] Proline (countywide demand-response/paratransit service) provides on average 140,000 trips a year for customers who meet ADA requirements. [6]

CNG fueling station

On May 18, 2012, SARTA opened a public/private Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fueling station at the company headquarters in Canton. [13] The facility is the first public CNG station in Stark County and Northeast Ohio with the next closest located outside of Columbus. [14] The grand opening for the facility was attended by dozens of guests including U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown and Canton Mayor William J. Healy II. [13] The CNG fueling station was certified by the Stark County Auditor's Office Division of Weight and Measurements on June 12, 2012. [15] As of October 9, 2012, the CNG price was $1.89 per gallon equivalent for public fueling. [15]

SARTA plans to convert 50% of its fleet to CNG over the next two years. CNG vehicles are quieter, [13] require fewer oil changes [13] and reduce emissions by over 80% when compared to traditional diesel buses. [16] SARTA also expects to save up to 40% a year on fuel costs by switching to CNG. [16]

Accomplishments

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canton, Ohio</span> City in Ohio, United States

Canton is a city in and the county seat of Stark County, Ohio, United States. It is located approximately 60 miles (97 km) south of Cleveland and 20 miles (32 km) south of Akron in Northeast Ohio on the edge of Ohio's Amish Country. As of the 2020 census, the population of Canton was 70,872, making Canton eighth among Ohio cities in population. It is the largest municipality in the Canton–Massillon metropolitan area, which includes all of Stark and Carroll counties, and was home to 401,574 residents in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Massillon, Ohio</span> City in Ohio, United States

Massillon is a city in Stark County, Ohio, United States, approximately 8 miles (13 km) west of Canton, 20 miles (32 km) south of Akron, and 50 miles (80 km) south of Cleveland. The population was 32,146 at the 2020 census. Massillon is the second largest city within the Canton–Massillon metropolitan area, which includes all of Stark and Carroll counties and had a population of 401,574 in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northeast Ohio</span> Place in Ohio, United States

Northeast Ohio is a geographic and cultural region that comprises the northeastern counties of the U.S. state of Ohio. Definitions of the region consist of 16 to 23 counties between the southern shore of Lake Erie and the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, home to over 4.5 million people. It is anchored by the metropolitan area of Cleveland, the most populous city in the region with over 372,000 residents in 2020. Other metropolitan centers include Akron, Canton, Mansfield, Sandusky, and Youngstown. Northeast Ohio includes most of the area known historically as the Connecticut Western Reserve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hillsborough Area Regional Transit</span>

Hillsborough Area Regional Transit provides public transportation for Hillsborough County, Florida. The agency operates fixed-route local and express bus service, paratransit service, demand-response service, MetroRapid service, and the TECO Line Streetcar system. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 12,929,700.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RTC Transit</span> Bus network in Las Vegas

RTC Transit is the name of the public bus system in the Las Vegas metropolitan area of Clark County, Nevada. It is a subsidiary of the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada. While it services most of Clark County with regularly scheduled routes, most of the service is in the immediate Las Vegas Valley; outlying places such as Mesquite and Laughlin provide transit services to their residents via the Southern Nevada Transit Coalition, which uses several vehicles acquired from RTC Transit. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 52,734,200, or about 164,200 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2024.

The Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority, formerly known as the Miami Valley RTA, is a public transit agency that generally serves the greater Dayton, Ohio area. The GDRTA serves communities within Montgomery County and parts of Greene County, Ohio, USA. There are 18 routes. RTA operates diesel and electric trolley buses seven days a week, 21 hours a day, and provides services to many citizens within the area. RTA's current CEO is Bob Ruzinsky. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 6,570,600, or about 24,600 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater Lafayette Public Transportation Corporation</span> Municipal corporation founded in 1971

The Greater Lafayette Public Transportation Corporation (GLPTC) is a municipal corporation founded in 1971 that provides bus services in Tippecanoe County, Indiana under the operating name of CityBus. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 4,447,400, or about 17,100 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Embark (transit authority)</span> Public transit authority for the Oklahoma City metropolitan area

Embark is the public transit agency of the COTPA trust, the largest transit agency in the state of Oklahoma. Embark has 20 interconnecting bus routes covering the city of Oklahoma City and parts of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area, including weekday Express service from Norman to Downtown Oklahoma City. Embark also operates paratransit, the Oklahoma City Streetcar, downtown public parking, bike share, and river ferry services. Additionally, Embark provides administrative and executive support for the Regional Transportation Authority of Central Oklahoma.

Minot City Transit, is the public transit agency operated in Minot, North Dakota, It operates fixed-route bus routes in the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">METRO Regional Transit Authority</span>

METRO Regional Transit Authority, also known as Akron Metropolitan Regional Transit Authority, is the public transit agency serving Summit County, Ohio and the city of Akron. It operates a number of local routes, and also operates one route into downtown Cleveland. Akron Metro transports passengers to/from school, work, grocery stores, malls and jobs all across Summit County. METRO RTA's fleet consists of about 200+ vehicles running on diesel, diesel-electric hybrid and as of 2022/2023, two fully electric Gillig vehicles, compressed natural gas fuels. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 4,260,900, or about 23,300 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Ohio Transit Authority</span> Public transit operator in Columbus, Ohio and vicinity

The Central Ohio Transit Authority is a public transit agency serving the Columbus metropolitan area, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. It operates fixed-route buses, bus rapid transit, microtransit, and paratransit services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norwalk Transit District</span> Public transportation provider

The Norwalk Transit District (NTD) is the primary provider of public transportation services in Norwalk, Connecticut, United States, and surrounding communities. The local Norwalk fixed-route bus transit system, is the primary service of the district linking Norwalk and its immediate suburbs. The agency also operates regional bus services as far north as Danbury and as far east as Bridgeport and commuter shuttles to Metro-North stations. Paratransit door-to-door services are available for residents in the service area unable to use regular transit services. Norwalk Transit contracts with local transportation service providers to perform some of the door-to-door services, and is also the provider of public transit for the Westport Transit District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sangamon Mass Transit District</span>

The Sangamon Mass Transit District (SMTD) is a regional mass transit district that mostly serves Springfield, Illinois along with a few neighboring communities. It is governed by a seven-member board of trustees, who are all appointed by the Sangamon County Board of Supervisors. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 1,406,900, or about 5,500 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority</span>

The Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority, commonly referred to as PARTA, is a transit agency serving Portage County, Ohio. It is headquartered in Franklin Township just outside the Kent city limits. PARTA was formed in 1975 from an agreement between the city of Kent and Franklin Township and has since expanded to include routes over much of Portage County. It operates several local routes including circulator and suburban routes in Kent, and an interurban route connecting Ravenna, Kent, and Stow. PARTA also offers express routes including services into downtown Cleveland, Akron as well as weekday service to the rural Portage County communities of Windham, Garrettsville and Hiram. In addition, PARTA includes Kent State University's Campus Bus Service, which it acquired in 2004, and a dial-a-ride service. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 903,300.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yuma County Area Transit</span> Public transportation system

The Yuma County Area Transit (YCAT) system is a public transportation system based in Yuma County, Arizona. Since 1990 the agency has grown from a new transit service offering paratransit to the current mix of fixed-route and demand-responsive services serving over 32,000 riders per month, with an annual operating budget of $2.5 million. YCAT is also the local Greyhound Lines agent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beaver County Transit Authority</span>

The Beaver County Transportation Authority (BCTA) is the operator of mass transportation in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Seven routes are provided, all of which serve the southern and central portions of the county, which are incorporated into suburban Pittsburgh. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 478,200, or about 7,900 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden Empire Transit</span>

Golden Empire Transit is the operator of mass transportation in Bakersfield, California. There are 16 routes serving Greater Bakersfield, which includes both the City of Bakersfield and adjacent unincorporated communities. Since 2005, almost the entire bus fleet has been powered by compressed natural gas. In 2021, 5 hydrogen buses were added to the fleet, with an additional 5 planned for purchase in the future. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 3,531,400, or about 11,800 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Water Area Transit</span> Transit system

Blue Water Area Transit (BWAT) is the public transit operator serving Port Huron, Michigan and surrounding St. Clair County. Operated by the Blue Water Area Transportation Commission (BWATC), the BWAT system includes fixed-route buses in the Port Huron area, plus commuter routes and paratransit services. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 1,013,200, or about 3,800 per weekday.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VIA Primo</span>

VIA Primo is a bus rapid transit service operated by VIA Metropolitan Transit in San Antonio, Texas, United States. As of January 2019, it comprises three lines. Route 100 runs along the Fredericksburg Road corridor, from the Medical Center Transit Center, in the vicinity of the South Texas Medical Center, to Downtown San Antonio. Route 102 serves Military Drive between Kel-Lac Transit Center and Brooks Transit Center. Route 103 travels on Fredericksburg Road and Zarzamora Street from Crossroads Park & Ride to the Madla Transit Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CMAX</span> Bus rapid transit line in Columbus, Ohio

CMAX is a bus rapid transit (BRT) service in Central Ohio, operated by the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA). The line begins in Downtown Columbus, traveling northeast to Westerville. CMAX is Central Ohio's first bus rapid transit line; it began operation in 2018.

References

  1. "Transit Ridership Report Second Quarter 2024" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. September 3, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  2. "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  3. "SARTA to launch service to Cleveland on Monday". Canton Repository . 1 March 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-04-07. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  4. 1 2 "Board of Trustees". SARTA. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
  5. Young, Kelli. "SARTA cruises at polls". Canton Repository . Archived from the original on 2013-01-18. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "SARTA Facts". SARTA. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
  7. Woolf, Steve. "Grand Opening Held at SARTA's New Transit Center in Alliance". The Alliance Review. Archived from the original on 2013-02-03. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  8. 1 2 "SARTA opens transit center in Plain Twp". Canton Repository . Retrieved 15 June 2012.
  9. "SARTA opens new Belden Village Transit Center". The News Leader. Archived from the original on 2013-02-04. Retrieved 15 June 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  10. 1 2 "Ribbon Cutting" (PDF). Planning Progress. Stark County Regional Planning Commission. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
  11. "SARTA Hits New Record in Ridership". The Alliance Review. Reposted on SARTA website due to paywall. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
  12. 1 2 "About Us". SARTA. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Wang, Robert. "SARTA rolls out natural-gas fueled buses". Canton Repository . Archived from the original on 2013-01-18. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
  14. "SARTA Unveils NEO's First Public CNG Station". SARTA. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
  15. 1 2 "Drive on SARTA's Natural Gas". SARTA. Archived from the original on 2013-02-01. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  16. 1 2 "WHBC Hosts SARTA CNG Bus Tour". SARTA. Archived from the original on 2013-02-01. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  17. Tyler. "Thirteen Fleets from Across Ohio to Earn Ohio Green Fleet Certification". Clean Fuels Ohio. Archived from the original on 2014-04-12. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  18. "SARTA Earns Ohio Green Fleets Designation". Stark Area Regional Transit Authority. Retrieved 18 October 2012.

40°46′51″N81°22′05″W / 40.780891°N 81.368061°W / 40.780891; -81.368061