Business View Magazine Apr-2023

133 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 4 Best of all, residents can schedule their Dial- a-Ride by app, website, phone, or in person. “In a way, it’s a rideshare or modern ‘microtransit’ concept, but we have been doing it for decades,” says Laketran CEO Ben Capelle. Residents are charged a very affordable fare to improve the accessibility of the transit service. “The goal is to break down barriers and give everyone an opportunity for transportation when they need it.” In 2021, Laketran carried 432,000 riders during the COVID-19 pandemic but traditionally serves over 750,000 customers each year. On average, the agency serves 300,000 passengers annually using in-county local routes, 160,000 Park- n-Ride customers commuting between Lake County and Cleveland, and 300,000 seniors and people with disabilities using Dial-a-Ride. Capelle says while ridership fell in 2020, it has essentially recovered back to pre- pandemic levels and is projected to set a new ridership record in 2023. Laketran’s fleet of buses consists of 17 kneeling New Flyer Xcelsior transit buses, of which 10 are battery-operated electric buses, 20 MCI motor coach buses for commuter service, and over 90 paratransit vans for Dial- a-Ride. To maintain a state of good repair, an average of 12 vehicles are replaced among the Dial-a-Ride fleet annually, as those buses generally turn over every six to seven years. Laketran’s bus fleet is 100 percent ADA accessible and every bus is equipped with a wheelchair lift or ramp. Accessibility is very important at Laketran – not only in terms of equipment but to those who operate the system as well. LAKETRAN