SCAT expanding to Huron Co., changing its name

TIFFIN — Seneca-Crawford Area Transportation is adding Huron County to its service area beginning Jan. 2, and SCAT is seeking public input on an associated name change. An agreement has been completed between the nonprofit SCAT, Huron County Commissioners and the Ohio Department of Transportation that will make SCAT the public transportation provider for Huron County in addition to its Seneca and Crawford county service areas. "We are expanding again," said SCAT Executive Director Mary Habig Tuesday afternoon. She said she's been attending meetings on the possibility since July when the Huron County commissioners decided a change was needed in their public transportation system. The commissioners hired a consultant to review possible solutions, and the consultants recommended SCAT. "There was discussion throughout the fall," Habig said. "The decision was to merge – for us to expand into Huron County." The merger increases SCAT's service area by about one-third. "I foresee by the second year we'll be providing as much transportation in Huron as we do in Seneca," she said. "Crawford is a little smaller." The headquarters will remain at 3446 S. TR 151, Tiffin. "It's exciting," Habig said. "It says something about the team here at SCAT, in my opinion. Even through the pandemic, we continued. "The people here care about the community they serve," she said. "From the drivers to the dispatchers and the board of directors. They're amazing people." The major impact to Seneca County will be the name change. "That's going to be the huge change," she said. To reflect its expansion into Huron County, the organization has chosen three possible names for consideration: • North Central Area Transit • North Central Transit • Transportation Agency of Northern Ohio. To vote, residents can visit SCAT's Facebook page (www.facebook.com/SCATTransportation) and state their preference via a website link. Voting is open through Friday, and the new name will be announced on Jan. 2. Habig said ODOT has awarded SCAT marketing funds to cover the cost of the name change and expansion. "I don't have a number (dollar amount of the grant)," she said. "The best part is there's no local match needed." Funds will be used to buy new uniforms and new signs, and to change the name on vehicles as well as set up an office in Huron County. Habig said the Huron County commissioners have purchased a building in Norwalk to house the satellite office, and Mercy Health has offered part of its Willard hospital parking lot as space to locate vehicles at the other end of the county. "We have lots of good partners," she said. All three counties will have vehicles available at both ends, which is convenient. Habig said SCAT has been hiring drivers and dispatchers and Huron County Transit had drivers, who are now going through the hiring process to be added to the SCAT crew. "They all had to start from scratch," she said. "Those were ODOT rules." She said SCAT also continues to hire. "Public transportation is an important focus area for both the commissioners and ODOT, and this new agreement will bring added public transportation expertise and resources to Huron County," ODOT's Chuck Dyer said in a news release. The release said SCAT is known for providing excellent service, and for having the best drivers in public transportation. "SCAT is a nonprofit public transit agency serving Seneca and Crawford counties and on Jan. 2, 2024, we will have the privilege of servicing Huron County as well," said Mary Hay, president of the SCAT board of directors, in the release. The change does not impact SCAT's services in Seneca and Crawford counties or senior transportation in Huron County. The Enrichment Centers for Huron County will continue to offer senior transportation in Huron County.