Learn to ride event set for Thursday

VW independent staff/submitted information

Allen County Regional Transit Authority has released details about another free opportunity for the public to learn how to ride that will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Thursday, January 15, in Van Wert County, with a majority of the rides happening in downtown Van Wert.

This is following a similar “learn to ride” day last week, which has been designed to help educate the community about the transportation services that will begin in Van Wert County on Monday, January 19.

“For Thursday, we’ll run a similar schedule as last week with one van, but we’re now going to add a second van that will meet up with our Delphos bus that goes to Lima,” ACRTA Executive Director of Operations Brian Wildermuth said.

Demand-Response practice rides: The demand-response van will have a continuous loop of practice stops on Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., which will be the same locations as the first week: 415 Main St. curbside across from the YWCA; 1103 S. Shannon St. curbside in front of Chief Supermarket; 160 Fox Rd. curbside in front of the Council on Aging, and 216 Towne Center Blvd curbside in front of Van Wert Health North.

Microtransit practice rides: On Thursday at 9:05 a.m. and 1:05 p.m., the microtransit van will leave the YWCA in Van Wert and stop at several places in Delphos. Those additional stops include 1000 Park Ave. in front of the Delphos Pool, 735 5^th St. curbside at the corner of 5^th and Fort Jennings, and also at Novus at 1600 Gressel Dr.

At the Novus stop, riders are welcome to get off and transfer to an Allen County fixed-route bus that will and take them to Lima while it runs its regular fixed route.

The returning trips to Van Wert will leave the ACRTA transfer center on High Street at 1:20 p.m. and 3:20 p.m. and will meet back up with the van in Delphos to bring people back to the YWCA in Van Wert.

A free day pass will be given to anyone that is doing the trip from Van Wert to Lima and back, which can also be used to ride any of the other fixed route buses in Allen County that day.

“We hope to see another great turnout from the community this Thursday so people can learn how to use these services,” Wildermuth said. “We’re here to answer any questions and help people feel comfortable with public transportation. It’s an exciting time for Van Wert County and we’re glad to be a part of it.”

Once regular transportation services begin in Van Wert County on Monday, all demand-response and microtransit rides will be door-to-door service and must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance by calling 419.222.2782 (2RTA) or using the ACRTA rider app.

One-way ride prices will start at $3 for microtransit and operate within two zones. Demand-response rides will start at $6 and will provide service anywhere in the county.

For more route details and pricing, visit www.acrta.com under the “Schedule & Routes” tab.