GREENE COUNTY — Greene CATS Public Transit has made a few changes to its routes, including adding a weekend service.
The transportation service — which is open to the general public — offers scheduled rides to any location in Greene County and limited service to Montgomery County, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Sunday. Flex routes, which also operate every day, alternatively have defined routes with scheduled time points, linking Beavercreek, Fairborn, Xenia and Yellow Springs. A flex express route connects Xenia to downtown Dayton during weekdays.
According to Executive Director Ken Collier, the transit system extended the timetable for weekday flex routes on both ends, which now begin at 5:30 a.m. and end at 7:30 p.m. The Orange Line runs 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
“We added the additional hour and a half of service in the evening flex routes to allow for that person who is coming to make that last transfer to be on a route to get back home,” he said. “Before, they’d get back to the transfer point and they’d get stuck at the very end because of the routes. So this is a service improvement for us.”
Collier said the organization also added a weekend flex route in September 2017, which currently runs from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Except the Orange Line, which runs 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
“For a long time we’ve had requests for access to weekend service,” he said.
Collier spoke about the changes in front of the Board of County Commissioners April 5, when the commissioners approved agreements with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to apply for grant funding for Greene County Transit Board. The funding would be used for operations and vehicle replacements.
“This really rounds the services out,” Commissioner Alan Anderson said.
Within Greene County, adults 14 and older can ride for $3 each way and children under 13 can ride for $.75 each way for scheduled rides. Flex routes cost $1.50 each way for adults and $.75 each way for children, elderly or disabled persons. Tokens are also accepted.
Collier said riders can also buy monthly passes. Adult passes cost $48 and passes for children, elderly or disabled persons cost $24. Student semester flex passes are also available for purchase. Tokens and flex route monthly passes are available for purchase at the administrative office, 2380 Bellbrook Avenue, Xenia.
Trips can be scheduled at least two business days prior and up to one month in advance by calling the office at 937-708-8322.
The office is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday. Visit www.co.greene.oh.us/greenecats for route maps and more information.
