Posted by Nick Dutton - email
TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) – The tough economy will once again affect folks who ride TARTA, the Toledo Regional Transit Authority.
Service changes will begin Sunday after TARTA's budget was slashed because of declining ridership and government funding cuts.
TARTA hopes the changes will help account for $900,000 they won't receive in property taxes this year.Officials hope the changes will be enough so they won't have to raise fares.
The changes will affect almost all TARTA fixed-line, call-a-ride and TARPS services. They plan to cut 6 bus routes and make changes to over 40 others.
On weekend evenings and holidays the buses will come every hour and 20 minutes instead of every hour and 10 minutes. During non-peak weekday hours, buses will come every hour and 20 minutes or hour and a half, instead of every hour. Holiday service will be reduced, but will still run from 7:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Sunday service will go from 7:15 a.m. to 8:45 p.m.
Most riders are not happy about the changes, but say it's a sign of the times. "Since there are really no jobs here in Toledo… and it will save tax payers money…, nut it is also going to affect a lot of people -- those who work different shifts on different jobs," said rider Carlos Graves.
