Lorain County leaders seek partners to continue Via microtransit after pilot draws thousands of riders

Lorain County officials and partners on July 9 presented early results from a pilot microtransit program run by Via and urged cities, employers and community organizations to share the roughly $2 million annual cost if the county is to continue and expand the service.

County Commissioner Dave Moore, who has championed transit projects for years, called the pilot a rapid, low-cost test and said the ride price to users is $2. “The affordability of this project is $2, just like a fixed ride,” Moore said, urging local leaders to partner on funding.

The pilot, launched in July in two dense service zones (Elyria and Lorain), has produced steady ridership and attracted a mix of commuters, students and seniors, presenters said. Via staff and county officials reported the service is now “serving over 7,000 rides per month,” has increased vehicle productivity since launch and that many users have shifted from two‑hour fixed‑route trips to shorter microtransit trips.

“We have seen this service be a tremendous success,” said Sargent Gossett, Midwest lead for Via. Via’s operations manager said rides per vehicle‑hour rose from about 2.5 at launch to nearly 4 as the service matured, a marker the company uses to measure efficiency.

County deputy administrator Karen Perkins presented survey and contract data and pressed the meeting’s central question: how to pay for year two and potential expansion. Perkins said the pilot’s fare remains $2 while the full operating cost per ride is about $18–$20, requiring continuing subsidies. She gave county budget figures for operating both zones this year and said the second‑year contract for identical service is roughly $2.06 million. Perkins asked municipalities and private partners to split costs roughly in thirds (county, city, partners) and listed scenarios for specific expansions: adding Saturday service (~$300,000) and extending weekday hours to 8 p.m. (~$165,000).

Consultants and college leaders said the pilot is filling workforce and student mobility gaps. Laura Brown, a consultant working on a five‑year Transportation Development Plan for the county, said planners will analyze routes, connections and workforce travel patterns to recommend changes. Keanna McIntosh, who oversees wraparound student services at Lorain County Community College (LCCC), said LCCC referred students to the service and that many students “could not have gotten to LCCC without Via transit.” LCCC reported several hundred students who identified transportation as a basic need and dozens referred to microtransit.

Local officials and riders gave testimonials at the meeting. Elyria Councilman Brad Armstrong called the pilot “a true blessing to my constituents,” citing free or reduced fares for seniors and students. Several individual riders said the service restored independence—allowing medical visits, shopping and campus attendance without relying on family—and asked for safer, indoor transfer points and expanded weekend and evening hours.

Via representatives described technology and future integration: app booking and multilingual support (Spanish translation), data dashboards for planners, and possibilities for electrified vehicles and dynamic integration with fixed routes. Sargent Gossett and Via’s operations lead said the operator can share origin‑destination and trip‑time data to inform a countywide multimodal network.

County officials emphasized next steps rather than final decisions. Perkins said the county cannot fund all zones indefinitely and asked city leaders, employers and nonprofits that benefit from workers brought to jobs and medical facilities to contribute. “Our riders are paying $2 for a ride that costs $18–$20 to provide,” Perkins said. County leaders asked meeting attendees to be local advocates and to help identify partner funding sources.

The presentation closed with an invitation to community organizations and employers to meet with county staff and with a timeline to refine the Transportation Development Plan and negotiate year‑two contract terms. Officials said they will bring funding options and recommended cost‑sharing arrangements back to the commissioners for formal consideration.

The pilot’s findings and the county’s funding request set a short public timeline: maintain current service, decide whether to add weekend or extended weekday hours, and recruit partners to cover an estimated gap in local matching funds.