MOUNT VERNON — Feb. 12-17 is “Ohio Loves Transit Week,” and Knox Area Transit is ready to celebrate with free fares.
To thank riders for their support and encourage others to try its services, KAT will offer free rides to and from destinations within Knox County.
Residents can call 740-392-7433 to schedule a ride.
The county commissioners recently contracted with RLS & Associates to do a fixed-route study for KAT. Part of the study includes gathering information.
As part of free fares week, volunteers will be on the buses helping riders complete a survey. The survey gives riders the opportunity tell local officials what they think about transportation availability and needs in the county.
If you take the survey, you can enter to win a $100 Visa gift card.
The survey includes demographic, socioeconomic, and travel information. Laura Brown of RLS said the goal is to get 1,000 surveys.
“The idea is to understand what people want and need from public transportation and also to understand current mobility issues, whether they’re driving a car, using KAT, or a taxi,” she said.
RLS will evaluate how people travel now using public transit, modes of service, and even the size of vehicles. The company will look for efficiency opportunities, grant funding sources, and alternatives and refine the information into a plan.
Brown expects to have a plan by mid-summer.
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For more information about the free fares or the survey, call Mobility Manager Joe Porter at 740-485-5002.
Year-round free fares
KAT offers several free fare programs throughout the year:
•NET (Non-Emergency Transportation)
•Rides for food
•Disaster Assistance
•Event assistance
Job & Family Services administers the NET program, which is open to individuals on Medicaid. State dollars fund the program.
In 2023, NET accounted for 6,131 rides on KAT.
“I thought that number would be higher,” Celmar said. “Knox County is one of the lower counties in the program.”
She noted that Chillicothe draws $4 million from the state in reimbursement. Knox County received $97,727 last year.
KAT provides free fares through a Food for the Hungry grant to those seeking rides to access food. Rides include to and from the hot meals program, farmers markets, or to the grocery store.
FFTH provided $2,000 under a pilot program. The fund has a balance of $1,001.75.
2023 in review
In 2023, KAT logged 595,738 miles and 111,527 trips. Knox Countians depended on KAT for shopping, work, medical, and educational transportation.
Additionally, KAT supported community organizations through 34,150 trips.
Of the 11,527 trips, 11,404 were riders who had a mobility device such as a wheelchair, scooter, walker, or cane.
“It accounts for about 20 to 25 percent of our trips each day,” KAT Director Bethany Celmar said of those using mobility devices.
Eighteen full-time and 12 part-time drivers operated KAT’s 30-vehicle fleet.
