Trips to the grocery store, medical appointments and to places of employment are some of the ways that RTC Transportation helps to provide an essential service and connection point for area residents.
To celebrate the commitment of the public transit organization to the community, Logan County Commissioners Joe Antram and Paul Benedetti hopped on board one of the 28 transit vehicles Wednesday morning to recognize Ohio Loves Transit Day.
The commissioners accompanied driver Deanna McIntosh for several stops in the county, where patrons were able to receive a rides to work, along obtaining transportation to a dialysis appointment.
“This is an important service for Logan County citizens,” Commissioner Benedetti said. “RTC Services has a passion for helping people. We’re happy to help support them.”
“A lot of us take for granted being able to just hop in our car and get to the doctor or the store,” Commissioner Antram said. “We wanted to highlight this important service that is available here in our community, and is readily available to help meet transportation needs.
“We’re looking forward to getting a hands-on experience during the ride-along.”
Also to celebrate the occasion prior to the ride-along, the commissioners conducted a drawing, with transit patron Brenda Jenkins winning a $25 free bus pass.
Logan County Mobility Manager Tam Blakely said public transit organizations around the state were organizing similar interactive ride-along efforts in their communities, and she wanted to take the chance to help honor the hard-working staff of RTC Transportation.
The organization’s Transit Director Russ Foust said the door-to-door demand response transit service maintains a bustling schedule on a daily basis. Last year, the agency’s fleet of vehicles logged a total of 600,000 miles, averaging about 220 rides a day, or about 58,000 trips per year. All of the vehicles also are handicap accessible.
Hours of operation for RTC Transportation are 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday. The public transit service is offered to citizens and visitors of Logan County alike, with transportation provided throughout the county and also within a 100-mile radius of Logan County, based on driver and vehicle availability.
“We feel very fortunate to have this type of public transit available, especially in a rural community,” said Blakely, who works in her position to meet transportation needs of individuals in the county, receiving referrals from various local agencies.
“If you look at other smaller communities, it can be hard to find public transit available in the later afternoon and evenings. The longer hours available here in Logan County are a huge asset to second shift workers needing transportation to their workplaces.”
Foust noted that RTC Services has offered RTC Transportation since 2014. Prior to that time, public transit also has existed in Logan County since 1978.
The organization transports ambulatory (those capable of walking) and non-ambulatory; but cannot transport emergency or semi-emergency passengers. Individuals needing those services are referred to emergency medical services.
Rides should be scheduled in advanced when possible, but some same-day requests can be accommodated, Foust noted. RTC Transportation can be reached at (937) 593-0039, and its website contains other detailed information at rtcservices.org.
Throughout the week, T-shirt drawings and other activities will highlight Ohio Loves Transit Day as well through the“RTC Services” page on Facebook.