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STARK COUNTY RTA ANNOUNCES LAYOFFS, SERVICE REDUCTIONS TO MAKE UP FOR FINANCIAL SHORTFALLS

November 29, 2024

STARK COUNTY, Ohio (WOIO) – Stark Area Regional Transit Authority, or SARTA, has announced impending cuts to get the system more in-line with the budget.

In a release from the Board of Trustees, SARTA’s revenue for 2024 came in $1 million below the projection for this year’s budget. Projections for 2025 are looking at a similar $1 million revenue deficit projection.

To help with the deficit, SARTA announced the following changes:

• Hiring freeze
• Eliminating discretionary spending
• Restructuring of ProLine and SARTA’s ADA paratransit service
• Discontinuing five routes:
  • Late-night loops Rt. 151, 152, 153
  • Success-Express Rt. 157
  • Community Circulator Rt. 158
• Layoff of 30 employees in February, 2025
• More reductions possible to transit services

SARTA says that they are fiscally stable with $6 million in reserve funds but “cannot afford to continue to spend more than we collect”. SARTA believes becoming more fiscally responsible will set them up better for the future where, potentially, funds from the state or federal government would stop.

Stark County RTA announces layoffs, service reductions to make up for financial shortfalls