Rogers-Lowell Area News

Ozark Regional Transit Ridership Increasing to Pre-fire Levels

Key areas in ridership for Ozark Regional Transit have increased to pre-fire levels.

A significant fire experienced on January 10, 2017, wiped out 80 percent of ORT’s fixed route fleet. Slowly, ridership is being restored to levels not seen since 2016. In that year, ORT averaged between 1,100 and 1,300 daily riders.

George’s employees enjoy free ridership due to a partnership with the chicken-processing company. Ridership numbers have ebbed and flowed over the past several months, but hit a record number of single-day riders on July 28.

ORT’s new policy regarding free-fare for Veterans has been a huge ridership success with more than 400 riders per week beginning to be the norm.

These two line items both enhanced overall ridership numbers in recent weeks and on at least three separate occasions, ridership had increased to over 1,100 riders per day.

This is a strong indicator that NW Arkansas’ regional transit system is well on its way to recovery.


ABOUT OZARK REGIONAL TRANSIT

ORT has four Fixed Routes in Fayetteville, five in Springdale, two in Rogers and one in Bentonville. Additionally, ORT offers an hourly express bus service between Fayetteville and Bentonville which is very popular and free for NWACC students.

Curb-to-Curb services are offered in all 10 cities with Fixed-Route Service and — to a more limited extent — in rural areas and smaller cities in Washington, Benton, Madison and Carroll counties, Monday through Friday.

All ORT vehicles are wheelchair accessible and all Fixed Route buses are bicycle-friendly. Information on Curb-to-Curb Service and Fixed-Route transit can be obtained by calling ORT at (479) 756-5901 or visit ORT’s website: www.ozark.org.