PARTA announced through a press release Wednesday they have received over $1.3 million in state grant funding to put towards new purchases.

As part of the Ohio Department of Transportation’s Ohio Transit Preservation Partnership Program, $27 million was available for the 2018 fiscal year. Fourteen out of the 27 urban transit systems applied for funding this year, including PARTA.  

PARTA was awarded $1,302,274 by the state in funding for the purchase of:

– A second compressed natural gas fueling pump for the station being built in the summer of 2018,

– Capitalized maintenance funding to pay for expenses including bus inspections, bus repair and building maintenance.

– and funding for five 16-passenger buses used mainly for Dial-A-Ride transportation.  

“I am pleased that ODOT and the State of Ohio has taken the steps to fund the needs of transit and the most vulnerable among us who rely on public transit,” Claudia Amrhein, the general manager of PARTA, said in the release when asked about receiving the grant. “PARTA and Portage County residents will benefit greatly from this investment. I look forward to continuing to work with the state to meet the needs of transit now and into the future.”

Stay tuned to KentWired.com for more information.

Alex Tinline is the parking and transportation reporter. Contact her at [email protected].