Ben Gordon of Via Transportation, Inc., Pamela Novak of the Lorain County Transit System, Lorain Mayor Jack Bradley and David Greenspan, Lorain County Special Projects Coordinator
(Heather Chapin–The Morning Journal)
Twelve new minivans will be available for public transportation in both Lorain and Elyria on July 15 as part of a pilot program called Via Lorain County and the Lorain County Transit System.
The vans will be used for an on-demand transportation that will be available for all residents to use, said Ben Gordon of Via Transportation Inc., the company that has partnered with the Lorain County Transit System.
“The big take away here is, it’s on demand transportation,” Gordon said during a presentation June 27 where residents and local officials learned about the program.
However, the program won’t include fixed routes as they change with the needs of the residents’ destinations, he said.
A new website, named city.ridewithvia.com/lorain, is in the process of being created where residents can book rides as well as pay for the service.
The program also includes an application for smart phones, called Lorain County Transit, where residents can reserve and pay for their rides.
For residents without access to a smart phone, the service can be contacted by calling 440-901-5554.
The cost will be $2 and $1 for citizens older than the age of 65, and students who provide a valid high school or college identification card.
Veterans with valid identification and children younger than the age of 2, can ride for free.
Children ages 12 and younger will be required to be accompanied by an adult, Gordon said.
The service will be offered from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The drivers will pick up residents at a designated point, such as a nearby intersection, to avoid detouring the route.
The vans can hold between three to four people and space is somewhat limited as far as personal belongings or groceries, Gordon said.
The service has been in the planning stages for several months to supplement the current transit system in the county.
As far as how long the pilot program will be offered, that hasn’t been determined, officials said.
Pamela Novak, chief financial officer of transit for Lorain County Transit, said she plans to study the routes people use to improve the current system.
Part of the study will help determine how long the program will be in service, Gordon said.
Lorain Mayor Jack Bradley suggested the company partner with Mercy Health — Lorain to cut back on ambulance trips which Gordon said would be “absolutely a possibility” during a question and answer portion of the presentation.
“This could go in a bunch of different directions,” Gordon said.
Via Transportation Inc., has partners with 750 entities globally, Gordon noted.
