Nominate Your Business for the “Give Local Small Business a Lift” Campaign
WRTA and the Business Journal are asking you to “Get on the Bus! And Give Local Small Business a Lift!”
Starting with National Small Business Week on May 1, WRTA and the Business Journal will be promoting and sharing the stories of twelve local small businesses on social media, TV, WRTA bus signs and the digital sign above Federal Street station. The twelve selected businesses will also be featured on BusinessJournalDaily.com and on WRTA’s website.
As a special bonus, one of the twelve businesses will also win a $3,000 TV advertising campaign on WKBN TV27.
Ready to Nominate Your Business?
To qualify for consideration, the small business must be on or very close to a WRTA Fixed Route (large bus route). Fixed Routes are on the major roads in Youngstown and the surrounding suburbs, such as Market St., Mahoning Ave., Belmont Ave., and others. There are more than 30 Fixed Routes all over the county. To determine if your business is on a Fixed Route, check the WRTA route maps and descriptions here.
Once you have verified that your business qualifies, fill out the form below!
Deadline to nominate your business is Wednesday, March 30. The businesses selected will be notified by email and announced in this space and on social media.
Following our request, WRTA has received many nominations for businesses who would like to be a part of this campaign. Watch for our forthcoming announcement of the small businesses that have been chosen.
Front-Door Boarding Resumes February 28
Starting Monday, February 28, riders will once again be able to board WRTA’s big buses through the front doors. Riders boarding Fixed Route buses have been required to board from only the rear doors since 2020, due to social distancing requirements.
FACE MASKS STILL A MUST
Riders are still required to wear face masks on all WRTA buses. According to TSA, the face mask policy for public transportation has been extended through April 18, 2022.
Severe Winter Weather May Cause Delays
WRTA riders should be aware of possible service delays on Thursday, February 3 and Friday, February 4 due to a severe winter weather alert. Further delay updates or cancellations can be found on our website and social media platforms.
Thank you for your patience.
New Routes in Warren Begin December 6
Starting Monday, December 6, WRTA will be reinstating Fixed Route service in Warren with all new routes and schedules.
“We’re fortunate that ODOT funded this service because it’s needed” said WRTA Executive Director Dean Harris. “We do have limited routes at this point, but the routes we have put in place will help get residents to where they need to go.”
There will be seven new routes in Warren —
- 70-Southeast
- 71-North
- 72-Southwest
- 73-East
- 74-Elm
- 75-Northwest
- 76-North Jackson Express
The 28-Warren Express will also continue to run its regular route.
(To view a larger version of this map, visit the Warren Service page)
Riders will be able to get to shopping centers, hospitals and high employer areas including destinations such as Ultium Cells Battery plant and the TJX Distribution Center.
The schedule changes will be reflected in the myStop Mobile app for Apple and Android smartphones.
WRTA Adjusts Two Fixed Routes — 11-Cornersburg and 27-Austintown
WRTA has improved its 11-Cornersburg and 27-Austintown Fixed Routes to better serve the community. The adjustments to the routes and schedules will take effect on December 5, 2021. The schedule changes can be found below —
11-Cornersburg
Will no longer follow this route traveling inbound:
- Right on Arden
- Right on Midlothian
- Right on Hopkins
- Continue on Bears Den
- Left on Kirk
- Right on Schenley
Instead, it will now travel from Canfield Road, turn left on Schenley and continue the regular inbound schedule.
27-Austintown
Will no longer follow this route traveling outbound:
- Exit on Route 46, turn left on 46
- Right on County Line Rd
- Pass Mulberry Lane to first driveway and turn Right at Mahoning Valley Campus Care
- Continue to second driveway and make a Right and circle back in turnaround
- Turn Left, continue to County Line Rd, make a left
- Left on 46
Will no longer follow this route traveling inbound:
- Left on N. Canfield-Niles Rd
- Right on County Line Rd
- Pass Mulberry Lane to first driveway and turn Right at Mahoning Valley Campus Care
- Continue to second driveway and make a Right and circle back in turnaround
- Turn Left, continue to County Line Rd, make a left
- Left on 46
Instead, this route will go left on Route 46, travel to the Hollywood Racino and continue the regular inbound/outbound schedule.
The schedule changes will be reflected in the myStop Mobile app for Apple and Android smartphones.
WRTA 2021 Holiday Lights Campaign
This holiday season, WRTA is once again putting the spotlight on 18 organizations that Light Up the Valley all year long with the Holiday Lights Campaign! All through December, signs highlighting these organizations will appear on the back of selected WRTA buses serving Mahoning and Trumbull Counties.
Here are the organizations that have been chosen for the WRTA Holiday Lights Campaign and information about each of them. WRTA encourages all Valley residents to support these organizations and the good work they do in the Valley.
Animal Charity
Buster’s Brigade
Buster’s Brigade is a 501(c)3 organization committed to providing financial and material assistance for the basic and emergency needs of dogs and cats in Mahoning County and surrounding areas. Our goal is to work with our community to help families keep their pets healthy and at home.
- Our Pet Food Pantry focuses on making sure families who need temporary pet food receive help, through the local approved food pantries.
- Buster’s Brigade works with families who can no longer keep their pets due to illness, age or financial constraints.
- We work in conjunction with the YSU Pre Veterinary Society to provide a low-cost vaccine clinic twice a year. These clinics includes free wellness exams, plus low- cost tests and vaccines to the community. Our 2019 clinics serviced 235 pets.
- Buster’s Brigade continues to help pay vetting bills for pets whose owners cannot afford the treatments necessary to bring their pets back to health. In 2020 we have provided over $12,000 in vetting to area pets.
City Kids Care
For more than 10 years, City Kids Care, Inc. has hosted more than 250 free community events and created programs that help children build self-esteem, experience success, achieve academically and establish personal tools that will serve them throughout their lives.
The goal of City Kids Care, Inc. is to make a profound, positive and lasting difference in the lives of children.
Our Mission Statement — To empower young people to reach their full potential by providing comprehensive youth development services in a diverse and caring environment.
Compass Family and Community Services
COMPASS helps individuals and families build better lives and a stronger community. Our core values are to:
- Treat everyone with Dignity and Respect
- Be Ethical, Honest and have Integrity
- Be Team-Oriented with a Commitment to Excellence
- Be Engaged, Supportive, and Resilient
- Be Accountable and Responsible to persons served, COMPASS and Community
COMPASS’ core services consist of a variety of programs with established purposes and goals that tie directly back to the Agency’s mission statement and values. These core services include Behavioral Health Services, Social Services and Workforce Development.
The Down Syndrome Association of the Valley
The Down Syndrome Association of the Valley, a local 501(c)3, nonprofit organization serving eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania, is committed to providing individuals with Down syndrome and their families the resources needed to lead successful, productive lives. DSAV provides enriching experiences, programs and grants to members, which foster that personal growth and pride in accomplishment. Membership is free.
Gateways To Better Living
Gateways To Better Living is a leading non-profit provider of programs and services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the Mahoning Valley. It’s been the promise of Gateways since the first day to provide your loved ones with the personalized care and compassionate approach to ensure each individual has a voice, a purpose and a rightful place in society. With our experience, expertise and dedication, we empower everyone to reach their fullest potential.
Help Network
In June of 2017, the former Help Hotline Crisis Center Inc. became known at Help Network of Northeast Ohio. We made this change to better reflect the full scope of services we offer. We continue to provide 24/7 crisis intervention, suicide prevention and intervention, referrals, support services and counseling services to persons experiencing mental health related and/or situation problems.
Help Network of Northeast Ohio also:
- refers and links persons in need of emergency assistance to community resources that can provide it
- disseminates information about community human services to individuals and families who need them
- works with planning organizations and government units to ensure these services are provided
Mercy Health Resource Mothers Program
Resource Mothers program website
The Mercy Health Resource Mothers Program plays a critical role in helping underserved, high-risk pregnant and new mothers to access health care, resources, information and social support needed to have a healthy pregnancy, birth and lifestyle.
New Day Recovery
New Day Recovery is a fully integrated healthcare organization specializing in substance use disorders. New Day provides professional alcohol and drug addiction treatment, including detox, rehab, medication, counseling, as well as recovery housing.
Potential Development
Potential Development is a pre-K through grade 12 school for students with autism. Our mission is to provide children with autism a safe, structured education that empowers them with the skills to reach their fullest potential in life. Our comprehensive program provides individualized instruction by a team of experts to ensure all students have a safe and educational environment to thrive in. We focus on structured teaching, highly visual planning and organization strategies, and predictable environments to help learners on the autism spectrum to become more independent.
At the same time, our school exposes the student to the Common Core Academic Standards for language arts, math, science and social studies. Report cards are issued quarterly to reflect student progress in each subject area. In addition to academic instruction, we help students develop social, communication, adaptive and life skills, and we offer physical, occupational and speech therapy for students who qualify.
The Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County
The Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County, incorporated as the Reuben McMillan Free Library Association, serves all citizens of Mahoning County, Ohio. We connect people and communities to reliable resources that inspire learning and foster enrichment.
We operate 15 branches in Mahoning County as well as Special Delivery for homebound residents.
The Library’s Vision
- Provide excellence in customer service
- Be the best source for knowledge, exploration of ideas, and leisure learning in Mahoning County
- Provide reliable information and answers for those that seek them
- Be adaptable, dynamic, and innovative by being responsive to both the community and the changing library industry
- Assure equitable access to library services and materials throughout Mahoning County
- Create welcoming environments and spaces that enrich the communities they service
- Connect people to the community and world they live in
Project MKC
Project MKC believes that all children deserve to feel special, regardless of their circumstances. Our mission is to make the lives of children and their families brighter by focusing on their individual needs with the help of volunteers. Our programs include: our Project MKC Diaper Bank, Comfort Kits for children being removed from their homes and placed in foster care, Hope Totes for children undergoing chemotherapy, our Best Foot Forward winter boot program, Summer Food program, Holiday Adopt-A-Family program, and so much more! We are so grateful to the community for their continued love and support.
Rich Center for Autism
The Rich Center for Autism was established in 1995 through the collaborative efforts of the Kosar, Rich (Ricchiuti), and Rubino families who have a shared interest in autism. In collaboration with Youngstown State University, The Rich Center for Autism’s mission is to improve education experiences and outcomes for individuals with autism and their families through teaching, research and community engagement.
Second Harvest Food Bank
www.mahoningvalleysecondharvest.org
Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley, a member of Feeding America, provides food to those in need in the tri-county area through 160 programs provided by hunger-relief organizations, which include church pantries, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, shelters for battered women, and after-school programs.
In 2019, the Food Bank distributed more than 11.5 million pounds of food, including 3.4 million pounds of produce.
Sight for All United
Sight for All United (SFAU) was established in August 2016 as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization that is driven to help all people achieve their best vision. Founded by two caring and concerned citizens, Karen Segesto and Sergul Erzurum, Sight for All United seeks to increase access by decreasing financial barriers and helping individuals navigate through the complex medical system.
The SFAU mission statement is to HEAL: Help every person reach his/her visual potential; Educate the community on impact of poor eyesight; Awareness of eye health and vision issues; and Lift barriers for access to care.
SFAU is also active in patient and community outreach through Sight for All United’s Doctors for Sight, a network of over 43 local ophthalmologists and optometrists; Women for Sight, our community fundraising group; and two partner student organizations at the Northeast Ohio Medical University and at the Youngstown State University.
Sight for All United to date has had 222 patients who completed applications that were assisted in receiving vision/surgical services.
SMARTS (Students Motivated by the Arts)
SMARTS, Students Motivated by the Arts, is a community art school that provides classes in visual arts, music, dance, theater, and creative writing for our region’s PK-12 youth with a focus on underserved populations. SMARTS hires and prepares community teaching artists with professional training and oversight so that they can provide quality arts-focused teaching and learning with lesson plans that follow state standards. Since 1997, SMARTS classes have been free and open to the public and all students are accepted through a simple application process.
In addition to providing opportunities to PK-12 students, SMARTS has created a professional development model for teachers with an emphasis on arts integration. Our goal with arts integration is to bring learning to life, to connect core content to the arts, and to provide a new approach with strategies to reach students who are disengaged.
SMARTS Mission to provide access and equity in arts education reaches across all socio-economic levels while providing access and early training in the arts.
Ursuline Sisters HIV/AIDS Ministry
The Ursuline Sisters HIV/AIDS Ministry has been serving men, women, and children in the Mahoning Valley living with and affected by HIV/AIDS for nearly 30 years. Our services for those living with HIV/AIDS include medical care, housing, food, children’s programming, and a monthly support group.
The HIV/AIDS Ministry is a program of the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown, which has been meeting the spiritual, emotional, educational, and health needs of the community since 1874.
Youngstown Community Food Center/Gleaners Food Bank
www.youngstowncommunityfoodcenter.org
Youngstown Community Food Center and Gleaners Food Bank, located near downtown Youngstown, feeds families each Tuesday morning, 52 weeks a year. We are a non-profit, no-fee organization that has been in existence since 1986 — supplying food and non-food items to the less fortunate at no cost to them.
We distribute goods weekly to individual families and currently on a monthly basis supply 110+ church food pantries, women’s crisis shelters, veterans centers, schools, minority organizations, elderly housing complexes, those on a fixed income — in short, the less-fortunate families here in our several-county sphere of operation. We are currently providing for over 7,590 families a month with food and non-food items, and that number continues to grow. We provide all of our goods without any fees or cost.
WRTA Celebrates 50 Years
WRTA celebrated its 50th anniversary with a recognition event at Federal Station. Western Reserve Transit Authority began operations in 1971 and has continued to carry out its mission of “Giving The Valley a Lift” ever since.
WRTA was honored to have the following partners, area officials and representatives present at the event to make brief remarks and present letters of congratulations and Proclamations.
- Sarah Boyarko, Chief Operating Officer & SVP, Economic Development, Regional Chamber
- Mirta Reyes-Chapman, Transit Program Manager, Eastgate Regional Council of Governments
- Jordan Pennell, NEO Regional Representative of Senator Sherrod Brown
- Patrick Lowry, Local Representative of Congressman Tim Ryan
- Mike Salamone, Trumbull County Transit Administrator
Thank you to our employees for being a vital component in serving The Valley and to all who have supported us over the years!
Below are some photos from our 50th event:
Upcoming Online Public Meetings for Proposed Zero Fares
Even though its buses continued to roll, WRTA eliminated fares in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Riders had many challenges during the pandemic and WRTA wanted to help. Free fares made it easier for riders to get to their jobs, grocery shopping and medical appointments.
The positive response to the free fares has inspired WRTA to propose a permanent ZERO FARE policy. As the Valley recovers from the impact of the pandemic, zero fares will continue to attract Valley residents who depend on public transportation.
This new proposed policy will have a positive effect on the local economy as even more Mahoning and Trumbull County workers and residents have access to reliable transportation to their jobs and shopping.
It’s also important to note that the cost for machinery and labor for fare collection, counting and processing often exceed the income from fares.
WRTA is holding virtual public meetings to gather input from the public on this proposed permanent zero fare policy.
You can gain access to the meetings on Tuesday, September 21, 2021, by using the links below.
Public Meeting Date/Times:
Tuesday, September 21, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM (EDT)
Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/338262813
You can also dial in using your phone: United States (Toll Free) 1-866-899-4679
Access Code: 338-262-813
Tuesday, September 21, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM (EDT)
Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/384869869
You can also dial in using your phone: United States (Toll Free) 1-877-309-2073
Access Code: 384-869-869
Submitting Comments
You can submit your opinions and comments by returning to this page and using the form that will be available during the virtual meetings and for a period of 24 hours after each meeting.
Market Street Transit-Oriented Development Plan Kicks Off Outreach Events
WRTA’s Market Street Corridor Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) planning begins its public outreach events with information displays at the African-American Men’s Wellness Walk and the Boardman Park Family Fun Night, both on Saturday, August 14, and an online survey to gather public input from WRTA customers and Boardman and Youngstown residents.
WRTA, the City of Youngstown and Boardman Township are collaborating on this plan, which will propose improvements to transit and customer amenities, bus service and other transportation improvements, and strategies to attract new development and investment in the Market Street corridor, extending from YSU and downtown Youngstown to Southern Park Mall and St. Elizabeth Hospital in Boardman Township.
The TOD plan is analyzing transportation and community needs in the corridor and will recommend packages of transportation and development improvements to provide residents access to jobs and other opportunities in the corridor and throughout the Mahoning Valley through connections to WRTA’s county-wide bus system.
The plan will propose improvements to bus service and bus stops, sidewalks, bike lanes and crosswalks, and traffic control systems to make Market Street safer and easier to use for bus riders, pedestrians and bicyclists.
The TOD plan will also recommend land use and zoning updates to make neighborhoods along the corridor more walkable and enhance their development potential. The TOD planning team is working with planning officials and developers to access public and private grant programs to help finance new, transit-supportive development.
In addition to the events on August 14, WRTA will be providing information about the plan and gathering input from the public at this year’s Canfield Fair. Other public events and meetings will be conducted in the corridor in September and October.
We Want to Hear From You
To better understand the corridor needs and wants, planning officials want to hear from you.
Use this link to take a survey about transportation and land use choices.
Questions or comments can be submitted to wrtatod@gmail.com.
Late Night Riders – On Demand App Discontinued
The On Demand App was launched as part of a demonstration project in December of 2020 for use by riders using WRTA Late Night service. Unfortunately, the demonstration period is coming to an end. As of Wednesday, August 25, the On Demand app will no longer be available.
WRTA riders can still schedule their Late Night trips by calling 330-744-8431 between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm. Late Night riders can register and book trips up to seven days in advance or up to 24 hours before the trip.
Late Night service is a scheduled curb-to-curb service that runs between 9:15 pm and midnight, Monday through Friday in Mahoning County. There is no cost for this service through December 31, 2021.
For more information about WRTA’s Late Night service, check the Late Night page of this website.
