Rogers-Lowell Area News

Ozark Regional Transit Receives First of Twelve New Buses from FTA Grant

Sunday, April 28, 2019 saw the receipt of the first of twelve new buses to Ozark Regional Transit received from a grant awarded by the Federal Transit Administration, division of the U.S. Dept. of Transportation (DOT), in April 2018.

This first arrival represents the obvious, tangibile recovery of the remaining 12 buses lost in the January 2017 fire; 20 buses were lost and eight were replaced with insurance funds. 
 
For the first time in ORT’s history, they have had enough purchasing power to create their own specifications for their fleet. This simple difference alone offers greater efficiency with parts inventory and fleet maintenance for the long-term.

Having their own fleet again means that ORT can sell vinyl-wrap advertising on buses that are not in jeopardy of being recalled by their transit system of origin. This will add to ORT’s income and, as a non-profit organization, will translate into improvements in services to Northwest Arkansas. 
 
The new and completely restored fleet will allow for more long-term planning for the inevitable rollover of vehicles as they age.  

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.  

For more information on this subject, call Jeff Hatley at 479-365-2161.