Ohio Public Transit Association Names New President

OPTA Board members voted during their annual meeting to make Kirt Conrad, executive director, of the Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA) the next board president of the Ohio Public Transit Authority (OPTA). Conrad is taking over the position from Jim Gee, general manager, Toledo Area Reginal Transit Authority (TARTA).

When asked about his new position, Conrad stated, “I am proud to be granted this honor by the 49 member transit agencies that represent OPTA. Transits in Ohio provide millions of rides to work, medical appointment and other critical trips every year. In addition, we provide over 60,000 transit jobs in Ohio and drive $3.8 billion in business sales and $530 in tax revenue (TCRP).

“Over my next three years as president, I want to address the growing needs of transit across the state for seniors, disabled and employees who need access to reliable transportation. By 2025 the anticipated need for transit is expected to grow to 250M trips annually – over twice what transit authorities in Ohio are currently providing. In addition, half of Ohio’s buses are beyond their useful life and must be replaced. ODOT has identified a $185 million funding gap in Ohio to address this problem. I will be working with our legislature to find funding solutions for transits in Ohio. Together, I hope that we can continue to meet the needs of the citizens of Ohio as well as to continue to grow our economy together”.