Expanded RTA service slated for January

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

More details have been released about plans to expand Lima-based Allen County Regional Transit Service into Van Wert County.

According to Brian Wildermuth, ACTRA Executive Director-Operations, the service will be phased in starting in January, 2026, and will be microtransit with smaller van services and demand response.

“Microtransit will be in zones and cover areas of the Van Wert city limits and Van Wert County leading into Delphos,” he explained. “That could end up being a fixed route come late summer or fall of 2026. The demand response would cover all Van Wert County.”

Wildermuth added that prices for the expanded service into Van Wert and the county have been established.

“For microtransit we are looking at $3 and $6 dollars depending on the zone they are in and are going to,” he said. “Demand response has its own pricing as well and will vary by location and will range from $6 to $15 in the county. We are set on the price for microtransit and demand response and hope for the maps to be finalized in the next few weeks to be sent out.”

As first reported by the VW independent on Friday, more than $600,000 in grant funding has been awarded to the ACTRA to help the pilot program, which is designed to provide transportation for individuals commuting to and from work in Van Wert County. The grant is coming from the Ohio Department of Transportation as part of the Ohio Workforce Mobility Partnership Program.

The money is coming via two separate grants. $337,463 is earmarked for route and transit expansion, into Van Wert County, launching Microtransit and (on) demand response options to connect residents to major employers and job centers in both Van and Allen counties. $275,552 will go toward the addition of two new vehicles to ACRTA’s fleet to support the expansion services to Van Wert County. The two new vehicles will ensure dependable transportation for commuters and minimize service disruptions due to breakdowns.

“We are very excited about the news of being awarded the grant to expand service to Van Wert,” Wildermuth said.

The regional grant is included in $13.5 million worth of grants awarded to 28 public transit projects statewide through the Ohio Workforce Mobility Partnership program.