News

SARTA BOARD APPROVES CHANGES THAT WILL PRESERVE ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSIT FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, STRENGTHEN SYSTEM’S FINANCES

January 9, 2025

Canton, Ohio – The Stark Area Regional Transit Authority’s (SARTA) Board of Directors has formally adopted operational changes that will ensure people with disabilities have access to the public transportation they need and deserve and strengthen SARTA’s finances.

Under the provisions of a resolution approved by the Board on January 9, 2025, Proline, the system’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant paratransit service will, as required by federal law, provide rides from and to destinations within a three-quarter mile wide zone adjacent to SARTA’s fixed routes. A new service, Proline PLUS, will provide transportation from and to destinations outside the fixed route zones. SARTA will launch the revised Proline and new Proline PLUS services on Monday, February 10, 2025.

“These modifications were long overdue, inevitable and absolutely necessary,” SARTA CEO Kirt Conrad commented after the Board vote. “As we noted in December 2024, we’ve known for more than four years that operating Proline as a countywide, on demand, point-to-point, unlimited service as we have for the past 25 years was simply not sustainable from a fiscal, logistical, or managerial standpoint,” he continued.

“We are confident the modifications we are implementing will reduce the incredible strain Proline has placed on our budget while enabling us to meet the needs of people with disabilities and their families who depend on us for safe, affordable public transportation,” Mr. Conrad said, noting that concerns about the restructuring expressed by riders, family members, and other stakeholders helped shape the new service model—including the decision to maintain the existing system for scheduling trips.

“We realize that people are troubled by the impact of the Proline restructuring,” Mr. Conrad said. “But everyone must understand that the actions we took today were absolutely necessary, that Proline PLUS will fill a portion of the gap resulting from the changes to Proline, and that dealing with the fiscal difficulties we now face and placing SARTA on solid financial footing are the keys to restoring and enhancing service in the future. That is our goal, and it is one we are confident we will achieve.”

Proline ADA Paratransit and Proline PLUS are available to anyone who is determined to be ADA paratransit eligible due to a temporary or permanent disability and has applied for and been issued a SARTA Client ID. Customer service representatives will utilize scheduling software to determine if a requested trip will be provided via Proline ADA Paratransit or Proline PLUS. Clayton Popik, SARTA’s Director of Development and Special Projects, outlined the features of each prior to the Board’s vote:

Proline ADA Curb-to-Curb Complementary Paratransit Service

Proline PLUS Curb-to-Curb Service

Mr. Conrad urged people who will need to use Proline PLUS to travel to work, medical appointments, schools, or daycare to take advantage of the ability to schedule trips in advance. “We worked hard to ensure that we will have the capacity to meet potential demand,” he said. “But that capacity will, due to the financial challenges we now face, be limited, so it’s important for Proline PLUS users to plan ahead.”

SARTA will conduct a series of informational meetings during the week of January 20, 2025, to provide detailed information about and answer questions related to the operation of Proline ADA Paratransit and Proline PLUS. The four meetings will take place as follows:

Information on the Proline and Fixed Route changes, a list of FAQs, and the Proline Services Guide that that take effect on February 10th, 2025, will also be posted on the system’s website at www.sartaonline.com/news-events/proline-public-meeting/.

“Thanks to the Board’s action, we are now on the road to fiscal stability which will enable us to continue to transport the people who depend on us to thousands of destinations in Stark County and beyond now and in the years ahead,” Mr. Conrad said. “On behalf of the Board, I want to thank our riders, their family members, our partner agencies, community leaders, and the public for joining us as we strive to enhance the quality of life in our community.”