TARTA presents Worklink study to Wood County commissioners proposing shuttles, microtransit and governance options

TARTA officials and regional partners presented the Worklink Wood County Workforce Mobility Study to the Board of County Commissioners on March 12, 2026, detailing service options and cost estimates aimed at improving access to jobs across the county.

The study, introduced by Sam Melden, TARTA chief communications and customer experience officer, found nearly 50,000 Wood County jobs are filled by people who live outside the county and that more than one-third of Wood County workers come from Lucas County. "When you focus on non-customers in the area and ask what TARTA should be working on next, the number one answer is to help people get to work," Melden said.

Why it matters: presenters said the county’s labor market and employer geography create demand for new transit options that reach major employers and training centers. First Solar workforce development specialist Kris Waslar told commissioners many high-school students cannot apply for positions because they lack reliable transportation.

The study presented three urban-to-suburban models: a feeder shuttle (one vehicle, estimated annual operating cost $110,000—$146,000), a commuter shuttle (peak-only service, estimated $350,000—$409,000 annually for two vehicles) and microtransit (app-based flexible service, peak and off-peak cost estimates ranged $350,000—$511,000 depending on service hours). Presenters also outlined an intercity regional route (estimated annual operating cost about $770,000) and a countywide on-demand rural model (roughly $3.84 million annually using an estimated 10 vehicles), noting opportunities to leverage ODOT 5311 rural funds and to partner with existing intercity providers such as GoBus.

Funding and governance were central to the discussion. Rick Bailey, TARTA deputy CEO, explained current urban transit funding relies heavily on ODOT FTA 5307 grants, with additional revenue from state sources, local sales taxes and fares. Presenters described four governance approaches—local government, regional transit authority (RTA), transportation management association (TMA) and nonprofit—and said a TMA or nonprofit model may be most feasible for employer-driven shuttle service.

Commissioner Craig LaHote suggested exploring autonomous vehicle (AV) options as technology matures; Melden said TARTA is monitoring AV developments but that significant private-sector investment currently shapes deployment.

Next steps: study staff listed outreach activities, employer engagement and a community forum scheduled for March 25 at Penta Career Center; they expect a final report in April. Presenters emphasized the meeting was informational and required no action at this time.

Provenance: The presentation and supporting slides were given at the March 12 meeting (topicintro: SEG 002; topfinish: SEG 028).