How one rural county is expanding access to public transportation

Up until just a couple years ago, Meigs County in southeast Ohio didn’t offer public transport. Now, it’s building a transportation hub.

Since it started offering transit services in 2022, the county has seen ridership more than double.

“We're already above our 2023 numbers,” said Theresa Lavender, director of public transport and the county’s department of jobs and family services. “So the sustainability for ridership is there. The need for transportation is there.”

She says a transportation hub will allow the county to continue expanding its services.

“We want to make sure people can get to where they need to go,” Lavender said.