Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) is a public transit agency that has been transporting people in the
Toledo area of
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
since 1971. TARTA services 32 bus routes in and around the Toledo metropolitan area serving nine communities and carries approximately 3.5 million passengers each year. Every TARTA bus uses
biodiesel
Biodiesel is a form of diesel fuel derived from plants or animals and consisting of long-chain fatty acid esters. It is typically made by chemically reacting lipids such as animal fat (tallow), soybean oil, or some other vegetable oil with ...
fuel, and is equipped with bicycle racks.
The transit authority has special buses designed especially for disabled riders called TARPS (Toledo Area Regional Paratransit Service), which acts along the lines of the
Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 or ADA () is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability. It affords similar protections against discrimination to Americans with disabilities as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ...
.
In 2013, TARTA launched TARTA Tracker, which uses satellites and predictive computer software to identify bus locations in real-time and to anticipate arrival times of buses at various stops, also in real-time. TARTA Tracker is available in a desktop/laptop edition, mobile edition – both at www.TARTATracker.com – and a phone edition at 419-243-RIDE (7433).
In summer 2009, TARTA added 40 new buses to its fleet, including 10 mini- and 18 full-sized buses, in addition to 11 expanded buses for its TARPS fleet. The new buses were purchased with $7 million in federal money.
In April 2018, the
University of Toledo
The University of Toledo (UToledo or UT) is a public research university in Toledo, Ohio. It is the northernmost campus of the University System of Ohio. The university also operates a Health Science campus, which includes the University of T ...
agreed to transfer the management of its busing service to TARTA as a cost-saving measure. As part of the deal, TARTA will provide free rides on any bus to all UT students, faculty, and staff.
In 2019, TARTA announced plans for a three-year pilot program to transport passengers on an autonomous shuttle. It would have been funded by a $1.8 million federal grant. Due to regulatory limitations with federal grants, the plan for the autonomous shuttle had to be postponed.
In August 2022, fare collection resumed at pre-COVID rates systemwide.
Routes
The buses have routes in Toledo and its suburbs, including
Maumee,
Ottawa Hills
Ottawa Hills is a village in Lucas County, Ohio, United States. The population was 4,517 at the 2010 census. The village was developed on both sides of the Ottawa River (Ohio) and serves as a bedroom community and suburb of Toledo. The Ottawa H ...
,
Rossford
Rossford is a city in Wood County, Ohio, United States, located along the Maumee River in the Toledo metropolitan area. The population was 6,293 at the 2010 census. The town includes the intersection of Interstate 75 and the Ohio Turnpike. Ross ...
,
Sylvania,
Sylvania Township, and
Waterville. This includes service to
Fifth Third Field Fifth Third Field is the name or former name of several minor league ballparks.
*Fifth Third Field (Toledo, Ohio), a minor league baseball stadium
*Fifth Third Field (Dayton, Ohio)
Day Air Ballpark, formerly known as Fifth Third Field, is a mino ...
for all
Toledo Mud Hens
The Toledo Mud Hens are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Toledo, Ohio, and play their home games at Fifth Third Field. A Mud Hens team has played in ...
home baseball games and the Huntington Center for all home Toledo Walleye hockey games, as well as throughout
Lourdes University
Lourdes University is a private Franciscan university in Sylvania, Ohio. Established in 1958, the university is sponsored by the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania.
History
In 1916 Mother Adelaide Sandusky traveled from Minnesota to Northwest ...
,
Owens Community College
Owens Community College (OCC) is a public community college with campuses in Toledo and Findlay, Ohio. Owens was founded in 1965 in Toledo and chartered in 1967. The Findlay campus opened in 1983. Owens Community College is named after Micha ...
, and the
University of Toledo
The University of Toledo (UToledo or UT) is a public research university in Toledo, Ohio. It is the northernmost campus of the University System of Ohio. The university also operates a Health Science campus, which includes the University of T ...
. Call-A-Ride service is available in each of these locations.
Green Initiatives
* All TARTA buses fueled by biodiesel
* TARTA Participated in a study conducted by the Intermodal Transportation Institute at The University of Toledo to investigate the impacts of using a mixture of renewable biofuel and diesel fuel
* TARPS facility features solar and geothermal technology
* Sustainability Commitment with the American Public Transportation Association
* TARTA is a member of the Toledo-Lucas County Sustainability Commission
See also
*
List of bus transit systems in the United States
The following is a list of presently-operating bus transit systems in the United States with regular service. The list excludes charter buses, private bus operators, paratransit systems, and trolleybus systems. Figures for daily ridership, number ...
*
Toledo Amtrak station
*
Allen County Regional Transportation Authority
The Allen County Regional Transportation Authority is the primary provider of mass transportation in Lima, Ohio. Six routes provide standard weekday service, while an express bus runs as a seventh line to nearby Delphos, Ohio during rush hour. In ...
References
External links
Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority
{{Authority control
Bus transportation in Ohio
Companies based in Toledo, Ohio
Transit agencies in Ohio
1971 establishments in Ohio