In just 9 working days after a severe fire destroyed 85% of Ozark Regional Transit’s (ORT) fixed-route bus fleet, the public transit system announces that all routes will be in full-service again Monday, January 23, 2017.
Multiple transit systems in Arkansas and the U.S., two local job skills & training entities and one local church have all responded with vehicles and logistic support to expedite this first major milestone to recovery.
Additional assets are scheduled to arrive from City Utilities Transit in Springfield, Missouri, Athens Transit in Athens, Georgia and Key West Transit, Key West, Florida this week with tentative plans for more vehicles from Texas in the coming weeks.
It is due to the generosity of these fellow transit systems and fellow NW Arkansans that ORT can restore previously existing services to its passengers at all, much less in such a short time frame.
The next phase will be much more involved as insurance and possibly emergency funding is sought for permanent replacement vehicles, and this process has already begun.
ORT is so appreciative to the NW Arkansas community for being understanding, patient and so very helpful as it recovers. As permanent replacements are incorporated into the new fleet, installation will begin in earnest for bicycle racks, GPS tracking for cellphone-based tracking apps and free wi-fi on all buses.
