“I recently rode METRO SCAT for the first time. My wheelchair van needed to be repaired and was out of commission for an entire week. At the time I was working for Akron Public Schools and did not want to miss work for the week. I was unaware of the application process and had not thought of the time it would take to put everything together. So I rescheduled my car, took care of the application, and was utilizing SCAT in a few days time. The SCAT service was EXCELLENT! They were on time each day, the drivers were very kind and courteous and I have been encouraging all of my neighbors and constituents about the importance of applying as soon as possible so the service is there when you need it.
“I have been blessed with having a wheelchair accessible van and the ability to drive myself when I need to go places throughout my day. However, I know not everyone is that fortunate. The need for public transportation is vital to a community – for students, families, workers, and seniors. Many disabled persons would be lost without public transportation. When attending anything, your first question is ‘How am I going to get there?’ and we are lucky that METRO is here to answer that question for us.”
Sharon Connor was elected Ward 10 Akron City Council in November 2019. Prior to, she has been involved in the Goodyear Heights community and serves as president of the RIGHT Committee, a group that’s worked for more than a decade to improve Goodyear Heights’ housing and green spaces and expand historic designations.
“Leaders should always be supporting services and agencies that ‘Lift People Up.’ For many people METRO is that service that is the first step to upward mobility.”
“Last year I became a fan of riding the DASH around downtown. I work at State and Federal Communications, near Quaker Square, so at lunchtime I like to ride through downtown and see the progress on construction. Sometimes I walk toward Bartges, catch the bus at GoJo, and then ride back to the office. This year, I am looking to use METRO to commute to work at least one day a week. This is a big step for me. I’ve been using the trip planner to see what it would take and then I’ll arrange my schedule. I think riding METRO is one of the most important things anyone can do in our community. I’d love to see us depend less on our automobiles. I also think higher demand for public transportation would improve our environment and our cities’ culture.
“I save probably $50 a month by riding the bus. I have a car, but choose to ride public transit. It stops me from spending a lot in gas money and I like the ride. It’s convenient and gets me from Point A to Point B.
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