More than a dozen Park-N-ride locations in Toledo and the surrounding area offer area residents the option to catch a bus to or from games at Fifth Third Field on one of TARTA’s Muddy shuttles.
It’s an option worth checking out, said Steve Atkinson, director of marketing for TARTA.
“It’s very easy to use, very user-friendly,” Atkinson said. “It saves on gas and saves on parking. With the several Park-N-ride locations surrounding Toledo, you can basically park your car and climb aboard the bus and be dropped off steps away from the field. It’s a safe,
convenient, affordable and worryfree way to travel.”
There are 13 Park-N-Ride locations in Toledo, Maumee, Ottawa Hills, Perrysburg, Rossford, Sylvania and Waterville where Muddy Shuttles stop.
Muddy Shuttles will continue to operate to and from Perrysburg for the duration of the 2012 Mud Hens regular season despite the community’s vote March 6 to opt out of TARTA bus service, Atkinson said.
Rossford and Sylvania Township are also considering an opt-out vote.
TARTA service to Perrysburg will continue until at least October, or for six months from the date the results are certified by the Wood County Board of Elections and then finalized by the TARTA board of trustees, Atkinson said.
The final Mud Hens home game of the season is Monday, Sept. 3.
“No matter what, we will fulfill Muddy Shuttle service to Perrysburg for the remainder of this Mud Hens season,” Atkinson said.
There will no longer be Walleye Shuttle service from Perrysburg to hockey games at Huntington Center this fall or to Mud Hens games next season.
Muddy Shuttle ridership numbers have remained fairly consistent since the service started in 2002 when Fifth Third Field opened, Atkinson said.
In 2011, there were 19,583 passenger boardings on Muddy shuttles, counting trips both to and from games, Atkinson said. That’s down from the 21,692 passenger boardings recorded for 2010. Waterville Plaza again had the highest ridership in 2011, with 3,588 passenger boardings, Atkinson said. Next most popular was them Lucas County recreation Center in Maumee with 2,751, followed by Centennial Terrance in Sylvania with 2,558.
River Place Shopping Center in Perrysburg had the fourth-highest number of boardings, with 2,136.
No. 5 was Toledo’s Miracle Mile with 1,586, No. 6 was Toledo’s southland shopping Center with 1,232, No. 7 was Toledo’s Alexis road Meijer with 1,224, No. 8 was Perrysburg’s Country Charm shoppes with 1,218, No. 9 was Ottawa Hills’ Westgate Sears with 1,018, No. 10 was Rossford’s All Saints Catholic Church with 796 and No. 11 was St. Luke’s Hospital in Maumee with 748.
Westfield Franklin Park had the lowest ridership in 2011 with 728.
Muddy Shuttle ridership statistics are not kept for the Adams Street stops because, unlike the others, it’s part of a regular TARTA route, not a special route for game days, Atkinson said.
Muddy Shuttles leave from each location one hour before home game start times and go directly to Fifth Third Field. Riders can be dropped off on either the first-base or third-base sides of the field. Return trips leave from the first-base side of the field on Washington Street 20 minutes after the end of the game.
For games that feature post-game fireworks, buses leave 20 minutes after the display.
TARTA supervisors are on hand after games to make sure riders find the right bus, Atkinson said. The bus marquee displays the name of the Park-N-Ride destination while loading or unloading and reads “Go HENs” while in transit, Atkinson said.
Cost is $1 per trip ($2 for a round trip), the same as regular bus fare. For more information, visit www.tarta.com.
Muddy Shuttle Stops
Maumee: Lucas County recreation Center (2901 Key St., north lot )
Maumee: St. Luke’s Hospital (5901 Monclova Road)
Ottawa Hills: Westgate Sears (3474 W. Central Ave., west of Sears)
Perrysburg: Country Charm Shoppes (106 W. South Boundary, near shelter) O
Perrysburg: River Place Shopping Center (26597 Dixie Hwy., at stop sign near Walt Churchill’s Market/Charlie’s)
Rossford: All Saints Catholic Church (628 Lime City road, near Schreier Road)
Sylvania: Centennial Terrace (5773 Centennial Road, main parking lot)
Toledo: Alexis Road Meijer (1500 E. Alexis Road, main parking lot)
Toledo: Miracle Mile shopping Center (1727 W. Laskey Road, near shelter)
Toledo: Southland Shopping Center (3320 Glendale Ave., behind Fifth Third Bank)
Toledo: Westfield Franklin Park (4121 Royer Road, shelter across from Kohl’s)
Toledo: Uptown on Adams (1815 Adams st., three stops between 14th and 20th streets)
Waterville: Waterville Plaza (1320 Michigan Ave., near shelter at Kroger)
