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St. Mary’s County approves two paratransit vans, adopts ADA and conduct policies as transit ridership rises
Summary
Commissioners approved reallocating $195,995 to buy two wheelchair-accessible paratransit vans, adopted updated ADA eligibility/appeals and code-of-conduct policies, and accepted a $4.622 million FY26 STS operating grant after officials reported a 33% fixed-route and 68% paratransit ridership increase following a July 2025 fare-free policy.
The Commissioners of St. Mary’s County voted to reallocate $195,995 in FY26 SSTAP funds to buy two wheelchair-accessible paratransit vans and authorized the county to sign related documents, part of a package of actions to respond to rapid ridership growth in the Saint Mary’s Transit System (STS).
John Norris, director of public works and transportation, told the board the county has seen about a 33% increase in fixed-route trips and a 68% increase in ADA/paratransit trips since the county implemented fare-free service July 1, 2025. "The fare barrier significantly increases the public transit utilization," Norris said, noting the growth produced additional federal and state grant capacity for the system.
Why it matters: The vans are intended to improve supervisors’ ability to service paratransit and ADA trips and to avoid using full-size buses for demand-responsive work on…
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