WOOSTER, Ohio — The City of Wooster will launch a new transportation service, WayGo, on August 4.
WayGo will replace Wayne County Transit, which ceased operations last year due to budget concerns.
RELATED: City of Wooster working to replace Wayne County Transit system
The City of Wooster stepped in and obtained state and federal grants to operate WCT, spending the last year researching and restructuring to prepare the new service.
"We are trying to make it a little more streamlined and a little more user-friendly," Kevin White, Wooster's Public Transportation Manager, said.
White said WayGo will be similar to Wayne County Transit, there will be a fixed one-hour loop around Wooster. On-demand rides will also be available and can be booked through an app or by calling the new central dispatch center.
Buses will run Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Rides on the fixed routes will cost $1 for the general public and are free for seniors or those with disabilities. On-Demand Response trips with a 24-hour notice will be $5 for the general public and $3 for seniors and those with disabilities.
This is great news for Beth Ann Beatty, who lives in Wooster. She is legally blind and uses the bus system regularly.
"My independence is everything," she said. "I know how important it is to people. It doesn't mean you're going out every day, but when you've gone to the store with your friend and you forgot that one thing, I can hop back on that bus to get back up to Walmart or Marc's."
Some in Wayne County will still be without transportation when WayGo launches.
When services begin, WayGo will provide transportation to those within the city limits of Wooster and a one-mile radius. That leaves out people in other Wayne County cities, like Orrville and Rittman.
"Our plan is to get to the county border," White said. "We want to service everyone and have some kind of coverage for the county-wide."
White said that expansion could take another year. The city is waiting for state grant applications to open up.
In the meantime, riders like Beatty are glad that something is in place, especially considering there was a time when Wooster didn't have a bus system.
RELATED: Wayne County Transit to end Aug. 31, leaving some residents in a lurch
"There are people being left out," she said. "All in all, I think it's going to be a great thing."
For more information on WayGo and how to sign up, click here.
