New pilot route added to Athens Public Transit beginning Aug. 1
Athens Public Transit (APT) has announced a pilot route to Nelsonville and Albany. Line 7 will begin running on Thursday, Aug. 1, and Ohio University would like to remind students, faculty and staff of this free transportation resource.
Through the Bobcat Pass program, students, faculty and staff will have the opportunity to ride Line 7 in addition to all other Athens Public Transit routes for free, connecting them from campus to the Athens area and surrounding communities.
All Bobcat Pass/APT vehicles are equipped with transit tracking software, DoubleMap, which allows riders to view shuttles in live-time. Download the DoubleMap app today on your smartphone or visit this website to begin tracking vehicles.
“Ohio University values our Bobcat Pass partnership and are excited for the added connection opportunities that the Albany/Nelsonville pilot route will provide to our campus community,” said Tia Hysell, director of OHIO Transportation and Parking.
More information about Line 7
Stops will include the Albany Old School, Lake Snowden and Close to Home in Albany and Hocking College and Public Square in Nelsonville. Times for each stop are available at www.athenstransit.org or by calling 740-592-2727.
One-way fares and transfers are $1.00 but free with a Bobcat pass. Discount passes for senior citizens and people with disabilities are available at the Athens City Building.
Athens Public Transit is a program of Hocking Athens Perry Community Action (HAPCAP). Currently, the program serves the city of Athens, the Plains, and Chauncey. After much input from the community, development form HAPCAP staff, and the support of various community partners, the transit service is now able to reach into the western areas of Athens County.
“We are so excited to be able to expand our services,” says Kelly Hatas, executive director of HAPCAP. “We know that transportation is a huge barrier to employment, access to services including healthcare, and other aspects of daily life in our community — our transportation staff is dedicated to bridging that gap.”
Funding for Line 7 is provided by the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation, OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital, Integrated Behavioral Health, Hopewell Health, Sister’s Health Foundation, Athens County Board of Developmental Disabilities, the Athens County Commissioners, Athens County Job & Family Services, the City of Nelsonville, the Village of Albany, the Athens County Foundation, and Stuart’s Opera House.
More information about Hocking Athens Perry Community Action
In addition to Athens Public Transit, HAPCAP also operates GoBus, Athens On Demand, Athens Mobility Management, and Logan Public Transit. Athens Public Transit has grown significantly since 2011, with a 600 percent increase in ridership. In 2018 alone, it served over 500,000 riders.