TOLEDO- Ohio Loves Transit Week kicks off on Feb. 9-15, and the Toledo Area Regional Authority (TARTA) will join 62 other public transportation agencies to show its appreciation and gratitude to the public.
TARTA CEO Laura Koprowski held a press conference on Tuesday to talk about the events coming up and the impact she wants the transit system to have.
“No matter someone’s race or their income, everybody deserves a dignified and safe ride on the bus to get to where they need to go,” Koprowski said. “We continue to play a critical role in advancing racial and social equity and expanding opportunities for all.”
All TARTA fixed-route, paratransit and TARTA Flex services will be free of charge on Tuesday, Feb. 11, as part of Ohio Loves Transit Week, which celebrates the contributions of the public transit system.
“Sort of a way to thank people who depend on the service every day and to be able to celebrate people who work in transit,” noted Andy Cole, TARTA’s communication and marketing manager, when talking about the purpose of the event.
On Feb. 8, Ohio State representatives Elgin Rodgers, Erika White and Josh Williams, Ohio Sen. Paula Hicks Hudson and representatives from the Toledo Chapter of the NAACP will read a story to families at 11:30 a.m. to honor the life and contributions of Rosa Parks. The readings will be at the Mott, Holland, King Road and Heatherdowns branch libraries.
This is the second year they have done a read-along for the public. I am Rosa Parks, a book written by Rosa Parks and illustrated by Toledo native Will Clay, will be one of the books read.
Mercé Culp, a Toledo native, created a Rosa Parks mural that is displayed at the TARTA headquarters on N Huron Rd. in downtown Toledo.
“This is by far one of my favorite projects working on this mural,” Culp said. The Rosa Parks mural is also displayed on the side of a TARTA bus.
Having this event during Black History Month and near Rosa Parks Day is important to TARTA.
“Something we can do to celebrate Rosa Parks’ contribution not only to transit, but to equity in general,” Cole said.
