Licking County Transit begins fixed-route bus service on Main Street in Newark
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NEWARK − A fixed-route bus service — something discussed, debated and desired for many years in Newark — started Monday, taking riders to doctor appointments, work or lunch.
The bus makes 25 stops along East Main and West Main streets, running 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, picking up riders as far east as the Licking County Aging Partners’ Heritage Hall and as far west as Tamarack Road.
The service will be free for the rest of the year, thanks to a donation from Licking Memorial Health Systems.
“It’s a great day for Licking County Transit. It’s a very successful day,” Executive Director Matt Allison said.
Will Lloyd, a passenger who works for Licking County government in downtown Newark, rode the bus to Newark Station on West Main Street for lunch at the new Earthworks Café & Lounge.
“I got on at the Courthouse Square and came down to get lunch at Newark Station and came back,” Lloyd said. “My goal is to eventually take it every day. Today was just a test to get the lay of the land.”
Lloyd said he may ride the bus from his home in McMillan Woods to his job downtown.
Dennis Combs, the route's afternoon driver, said mid-afternoon that he picked up six riders so far.
“I enjoy it, talking to different people from different walks of life,” Combs said. “It’s enjoyable. It’ll make a big difference once they get the bridge (over Ohio 79) back open.”
The morning bus driver is Brenda Hoadley.
Allison said it will be important to withhold judgment on the new bus route for quite a while. Success will not be determined by having a minimum ridership, he said.
“We won’t know in one day or one week if it’s successful,” Allison said. “We need 12 to 18 months to know. I don’t think it’s about the fare box ratio. Success is not coming from just the fare box. We will need long-term, sustained contributions from the community to make this successful. We’re working with stakeholders to help with funding as well."
Two future routes may be to Granville and to north Newark, including stops at the Licking County Health Department, Career and Technology Education Centers of Licking County and the Newark campus of Ohio State University and Central Ohio Technical College. Denison University is another possible funding source, Allison said.
A lady who didn’t call soon enough to schedule her demand response bus ride, rode the fixed route Monday and made it to her doctor appointment, Allison said. And a man and his daughter with no transportation rode from Dairy Isle on East Main Street to see his uncle on West Main Street.
Drivers can deviate from the established route by up to ¾ of a mile to pick up any passenger who asks, if time allows. The demand response service for a pickup from a specific address remains available, but the cost is $4 each way.
The driver will check with the dispatcher to see if there is time to deviate from the route to pick up a rider, Allison said.
“This is a more flexible, nimble service," Allison said.
The cost for a ride could be $1 in 2024, Allison said, but it's free for the rest of 2023.
"Licking Memorial has stepped up and made the first six months of this bus route free,” Licking County Commissioner Tim Bubb said. They’ve covered the operating costs to do that for the first six months. We figure it’s going to take more than a year to get people used to riding fixed-route buses again. It’s been a half century since that happened in Newark.”
The federal government pays half of the cost, and Licking Memorial funded the local match.
“We’re really excited to see the bus route start today,” Licking Memorial President and CEO Rob Montagnese said. “(It's) just another example of the progress we’re making as a county. Transportation is something that is not as much of an obstacle for folks with this new bus route.”
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Licking County Transit bus stops on Main Street
Following are the Licking County Transit bus stops on the new Main Street deviated fixed bus route. The stops followed by a time are hard stops, which means drivers must stay there until the time specified. If the bus is on time or running behind, drivers may skip the stop if no riders are visible. Drivers are not required to stop at the soft stops if there are no visible riders waiting at the bus stop sign. Riders are advised to arrive at the stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive.
1717 W. Main St.: Top of the hour.
Messimer Drive: :04 after the hour.
28th Street: Soft stop.
Williams Street: :09 after the hour.
Newark Station eastbound: Soft stop.
Licking County Library eastbound: :14 after the hour
Licking County Courthouse south: Soft stop.
First Street eastbound: Soft stop
LMH Family Practice: :21 after the hour.
Dairy Isle: Soft stop.
Licking County Transit: Soft stop.
LCAP Heritage Hall: :25 after the hour.
O'Bannon Avenue: Soft stop.
Wing Street: Soft stop.
Merridy Way: :30 after the hour.
First Street westbound: Soft stop.
Licking County Courthouse north: Soft stop.
Licking County Library westbound: :35 after the hour.
Newark Station westbound: Soft stop.
Day Avenue: :40 after the hour.
Licking County Library, Miller branch, Soft stop.
LMH Doctor's Park: Soft stop.
Licking Memorial Hospital main entrance: :46 after the hour.
Tamarack Medical: :51 after the hour.
Tamarack business; Soft stop.
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Fixed-route bus service begins along Newark's East, West Main streets
