EDITOR’S NOTE: This is one in a series looking at what Northeast Ohio communities and agencies experienced in 2024 and what is facing them in 2025. Laketran officials this week noted that the transit agency continues to see a spike in ridership, which remains a direct benefit of new operation hours that began last year. The “significant increases” stand as one of several highlights the organization has promoted in 2024, which marks 50 years of community partnership. Growing ridership “When launching or expanding services, people need to learn about new hours, try them and then trust them in order to begin to rely on us for their transportation needs, and we are still seeing that process,” said Laketran CEO Ben Capelle. Due to the success of the new hours, he added, the agency saw a 15 percent (ridership) increase on its Local Routes 1-9 and a 7.5 percent increase in Dial-a-Ride trips in November 2024 compared with November 2023. Laketran’s Park-n-Ride service also continues to grow — the Cleveland commuter service saw a 13 percent increase over the same time — as downtown companies have reduced work-from-home programs. Overall, Laketran anticipates a 10 percent ridership growth for 2024, officials confirmed. “We look at growing ridership as an indicator that our community is thriving,” said Laketran Board President Brian Falkowski. “These latest service enhancements demonstrate our dedication to fostering economic development by supporting local businesses and improving residents’ well-being. Headquarters renovation, expansion Laketran continues to put the finishing touches on its 21-month Headquarters Renovation and Expansion project, which will be complete at the end of the year. In March 2023, the agency broke ground on a $22 million expansion of its Painesville Township headquarters. The project has added 37,670 square feet of operations and bus storage space to the existing 162,000-square-foot headquarters. Upgrades include the expansion of the operations center, which houses dispatch, scheduling and drivers’ area, as well as an additional maintenance bay and indoor vehicle storage space. “In any construction project, you aim for ‘on-budget, on-time,’ and our board is excited that this project is achieving both,” Falkowski said, “as this expansion is preparing us for the next 30 years. “Both our ridership and number of employees have more than doubled since our headquarters was built 30 years ago, and this project will allow us to meet the needs of our residents while becoming more efficient and reliable in our service delivery.” Capelle added that the agency operates 20 hours per day and continues to operate during construction. “We plan to have a community open house in 2025 and provide public tours of the facility so the public can better understand our operations, as well as celebrate 50 years of serving Lake County,” he said. An artist’s rendering of the Laketran Headquarters Renovation and Expansion project. The project is set to be completed next year. (Submitted) Celebrating 50 years Established as the Lake County Regional Transit Authority in 1974 by a resolution adopted by the Lake County commissioners, Laketran is celebrating its golden anniversary and its “longstanding commitment to providing essential, customer-driven public transportation services to the residents of Lake County.” Over the decades, Laketran has grown from “humble beginnings to become a nationally recognized transit leader,” officials noted. Initially focused on filling transportation gaps for seniors, workers and individuals with disabilities, the organization now serves approximately 700,000 trips annually. Since its launch, Laketran has innovated and expanded its services, initiating its award-winning Dial-a-Ride program in the 1980s, transitioning to eco-friendly transit options in the 1990s and introducing technology-driven improvements, like real-time bus tracking, in the 2010s. Today, the agency’s fleet includes Ohio’s first battery-operated electric buses, “reflecting a commitment to sustainability.” Officials added that Laketran’s contributions extend beyond transportation, as the company provides independence and mobility for seniors, supports local workers and students, offers a mobile food pantry program and provides careers to more than 275 employees. Additionally, services remain vital for accessing medical care, grocery shopping and community services. “As we celebrate this milestone, we will reflect on a half-century of service, innovation, and community impact,” Falkowski said. “This celebration isn’t just about the longevity of a public transit agency, but a tribute to the enduring partnerships we’ve built, the growth we’ve achieved, and the collective progress we’ve made in fostering connectivity, accessibility, and a flourishing community.” Awards and accolades Laketran’s 50th year of service has been marked by numerous awards and accolades that “underscore industry leadership, dedication to exceptional service delivery, and commitment to compliance and transparency.” This year, the agency achieved additional milestones, including its 29th consecutive clean state audit, a top compliance and transparency StaRS rating from the Ohio Auditor’s Office, and a Federal Transit Administration’s Fiscal Year 2024 Triennial Review with no findings. Laketran also earned the Ohio Transit Risk Pool’s SOAR Award and TripSpark’s Ignite Award, which recognized the agency as this year’s Community Hero for its mobile food pantry. “It’s an honor to be recognized for our fiscal responsibility and the meaningful work we do in the community,” Falkowski said. “These awards are a testament to our entire team’s dedication to keeping safety and customer service at the forefront every day.” Transitions Program Laketran also launched a partnership, dubbed the Transitions Program, with the Lake County Juvenile Court this year. The primary goal of the program is to “empower individuals by offering them opportunities to participate in meaningful activities to contribute to overall well-being and development.” Additionally, by connecting youths with a range of extracurricular options, the partnership aims to reduce recidivism. Capelle said the agency believes in the power of community to bring about positive change. “By providing reliable transportation options, we are breaking down barriers and ensuring that at-risk youth can have equal access that contributes to their personal growth and success,” he added. Re-launching a similar initiative that ran from 1985 to 2006, Laketran once again provided rides to Cleveland Browns home games and may expand the Sports Express service in the future. (Submitted) Sports Express re-launched Laketran launched its Sports Express and special transportation (bus) service in August, providing round-trip transportation to all 2024 Cleveland Browns home games. The agency previously ran a similar service 20 years ago, officials noted. “While it was a tough season to bring the service back, as attendance waned, we still had many dedicated fans use it,” Capelle said. “We invested in new buses for this service that will arrive early next year and are considering some service to Guardians games….and we may need to consider the Cavaliers with how they’re playing.” Dial-a-Ride minivans Officials noted that the agency introduced 10 minivans to improve Dial-a-Ride efficiency, which complements larger vehicles in the fleet and offers more flexibility and cost-effectiveness for transporting smaller, ambulatory groups or individual passengers. “We continue to see more demand on our Dial-a-Ride service and are working on ways to make it both more accessible,” Capelle said, adding the agency has already transitioned larger (Dial-a-Ride) buses to propane fuel to reduce fuel costs.” Challenges Officials confirmed that increased ridership, while positive, can present staffing issues not only for Laketran but for transit agencies nationwide. “Rising retirements and competition from jobs like DoorDash, Uber, and delivery companies, like Amazon, have created challenges to retain drivers,” Capelle said. “Our drivers need extensive training to transport seniors and people with disabilities safely — much more than (just) delivering packages.” To address the shortage, the agency hosted five hiring events in 2024, recruiting 90 drivers. Improving Dial-a-Ride Laketran is set to announce the launch of Rides on Demand, which will debut in 2025. According to officials, the service will provide customers with the convenience of same-day transportation, “blending the reliability of Laketran’s door-to-door Dial-a-Ride service with the flexibility of traditional ride-share services.” Designed to enhance mobility options for residents, Rides will offer “an affordable and accessible solution” for individuals who need transportation without the need to book days in advance. Additionally, the service aims to cater to the growing demand for flexible travel options, accommodating spontaneous trips for work, errands, medical appointments or leisure activities. More details about service areas, pricing, and booking options will be announced soon, officials confirmed. EZfare smartcards, vending machines Laketran is also continuing to add more benefits to its mobile fare payment app, EZfare, to make it more accessible. “While most customers use a credit card or digital wallet to pay on EZfare, Laketran wants to make the convenience of the app available to our cash-paying customers or to individuals that aren’t comfortable using a mobile device,” Capelle said. In 2025, Laketran will launch an EZfare smartcard for customers who prefer not to use the app but still want to access the Tap & Ride feature. With Tap & Ride, Local Routes customers are guaranteed to pay the lowest fare thanks to fare capping and daily fares that will never exceed $4 per day. Moreover, Laketran will be installing EZfare vending machines at its transit centers for customers to add tickets or stored value to the app, but prefer cash transactions. Smartcards will also be available for purchase from the machines, officials noted.