Perrysburg panel to report on TARTA

10/12/2006

A committee formed to study the effectiveness of the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority's services in Perrysburg hopes to make formal recommendations to City Council on Tuesday, Kevin Rantanen, the committee's chairman, said.

The four-person committee met yesterday to discuss its findings and develop a response to questions posed last spring by Mayor Nelson Evans, but was unable to come to a consensus.

Mr. Rantanen said committee members will e-mail him their suggestions over the next few days. He said a formal letter could be presented to City Council at its regularly scheduled meeting next week.

Perrysburg pays about $1 million to TARTA annually, but Mr. Rantanen said studies conducted by his committee showed Perrysburg residents feel the bus and Call-A-Ride services are not convenient enough to justify the cost.

Mr. Rantanen said he expects his committee to recommend that TARTA come up with an action plan to improve service and increase its ridership in Perrysburg.

He also said the committee could suggest that council contact the state legislature to ask about making a change to the law that would enable the city to discontinue its relationship with TARTA if it so desired.

Mr. Rantanen said it is important to first see what type of action TARTA takes before making any more suggestions.