Lebanon County – The Lebanon Transit Authority (LTA) is set to implement significant changes to its bus services across Lebanon County, aiming to adapt to community needs and foster increased ridership. The adjustments come after a thorough local transit study conducted in October 2022 and public input sessions in June 2023, as the LTA responds to the evolving landscape of the county.
In the 2022-2023 period, city ridership reached 45,000, county ridership stood at 32,000, student ridership reached 4,200, and free rides for seniors totaled 55,000. Despite these figures, overall ridership has not rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, prompting the LTA to reassess and improve its services.
Route changes and updates, detailed on the LTA website (https://lebanontransit.org/changes/), are designed to align with areas of recent development in the county. One notable change is the elimination of the casino route, a decision made to streamline services and enhance efficiency.
The adjustments were shaped by valuable insights from a customer survey conducted during the aforementioned study. According to the survey, customers expressed general satisfaction with the bus service, operators, and prices. However, there were concerns about the frequency of weekend services and the absence of night services. The survey also revealed that the majority of riders are working-age adults and older individuals, with half of them having annual incomes below $25,000.
Mike Ritter, who recently joined the LTA, shared how these changes are not just about reconfiguring routes; they reflect the commitment of the LTA to being responsive to the community's development and cultivating new ridership. They want to explore new places and extend their services to meet the needs of the people they serve.
While specifics about the transit study and public input sessions are not available, the LTA encourages residents to visit their website for comprehensive information. Looking ahead, the LTA aspires to expand its services to more areas, including parts of ELCO, providing an even broader coverage for the residents of Lebanon County.