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SARTA to unveil Smart Card at Rider Events the week of September 6th, 2021

September 2, 2021

Rider events will feature food, games, giveaways, and introduction of SARTA’s new SCORE and Touch Down Cards (smart card). Q 92’s Christian, from the morning show, and SARTA’s Mobile Vaccine Clinic will be at the event on September 8, 2021.

The Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA) is inviting the community to a rider events on:

Christian, host of Q92’s “Christian in the Morning” show will be on site at Cornerstone for the rider event which will also feature a food truck, SARTA games and giveaways, and introduce the SCORE and Touch Down Cards, new fare payment options that will launch later this year.

He said he is also excited about previewing the new SCORE and Touch Down Cards during the events. According to Mr. Conrad the “tap-to-go” cards which will be formally rolled out later this year and will make riding SARTA easier than ever before. “We believe the SCORE and Touch Down Cards are going to be a hit with our riders and we’re eager to introduce them during these events.”

SARTA’s Mobile Vaccine Clinic will also be on-site at the event on September 8th, with Lifecare nurses administering the vaccine (Johnson & Johnson as available, otherwise, the first dose of Moderna) in a SARTA bus at the Cornerstone Transit Center.

In addition to the free vaccine, Ohio Medicaid and MyCare members aged 18 and older who receive their first dose during the fair will receive a $100 gift card as part of Ohio’s “Vax on the Spot” program. The Ohio Department of Medicaid has teamed up with five managed care plans with the goal of vaccinating 900,000 members against COVID-19 by the end of the year. The plans are working with community based organizations, pharmacies, doctors’ offices, local schools and health departments to bring COVID-19 vaccination into local communities.  For details on where to go to get a free COVID vaccination, go to www.COVIDVaxOnTheSpot.com.

“Our staff and our riders have been on an incredible journey,” SARTA CEO Kirt Conrad said as he issued a community-wide invitation to the events. “These events are our way of saying ‘thanks’ to our riders and all the individuals, agencies, businesses, and groups for the support, loyalty, understanding, and cooperation we received during the pandemic.

Mr. Conrad noted that SARTA provided more than 1.2 million rides as COVID-19 spread across Stark County. “We took extraordinary steps to keep our passengers and employees safe because we knew essential workers and residents who had no other way to travel to medical appointments, the store, and other essential destinations were relying on us to transport them,” he said. “All our employees, from our back-office staff to our mechanics and maintenance crews, to our frontline operators went the extra mile every day to keep us on the road during one of the most challenging periods in our history.” 

“I’m pleased and proud to say our passengers helped us all along the way,” Mr. Conrad continued. “They abided by our safety protocols and procedures and, most importantly, treated each other and our employees with respect. They have been and will remain essential members of the SARTA team and we look forward to thanking them at the events during the week of September 8.”

For more information about SARTA’s Rider Appreciation Events please contact SARTA’s Customer Service at 330-477-2782, Option #2.