RTA will provide free rides to COVID-19 vaccination sites
Cleveland State University Wolstein Center
Free public transportation will be available to and from Cleveland State University s Wolstein Center mass COVID-19 vaccination center, as well as for other vaccination sites throughout Cuyahoga County, thanks to a $773,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Transportation, according to the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority.
RTA, in partnership with Cuyahoga County and the city of Cleveland, announced Monday, March 15, that free, all-day passes for bus, rail and paratransit will be available for those traveling to vaccination sites throughout the county, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency-run vaccination site at CSU scheduled to run from Wednesday, March, 17 through May 8. The Ohio Department of Transportation s Rides to Community Immunity Program also will provide free shuttle service every 15 minutes to and from parking lots south of the Wolstein Center,
Public transit advocates make the case to significantly boost funding in state budget
India Birdsong, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority CEO and general manager
Responding to a barrage of criticism from transit advocates, Ohio legislators have significantly boosted funding for public transportation in the 2021-2022 budget.
The Ohio House Finance Committee on Thursday, Feb. 25, accepted a substitute to House Bill 74, committing $97 million a year in total funding annually for public transit agencies hit hard by low ridership and pandemic-related expenses.
The increase is a far cry from the paltry $7.3 million a year, in state funds only, originally proposed by Gov. Mike DeWine s executive budget for the transportation agencies. That was a 90% drop from the $70 million in funds in the 2020-2021 budget.