(complete plan provided in the PDF link below) Ozark Regional Transit (ORT) provides transportation service for the Northwest Arkansas region. Services operate with a four‐county region consisting of Benton, Carroll, Madison, and Washington counties. Current services include:
Fixed‐Route Bus service operating primarily within the cities of Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, and Springdale. A total of six routes are provided. This includes three local routes in Springdale, two local routes in Fayetteville, and a regional commuter route connecting all four cities along 49.
ADA Complementary Paratransit service is available for ADA‐eligible residents who are unable to use fixed‐route bus service in Washington and Benton counties within 3/4 mile of any ORT fixed or commuter route.
Non‐ADA Demand Response service is available in Washington, Benton, and Madison counties to those that do not qualify for an ADA paratransit ride and live more than 3/4 mile from any ORT fixed or commuter route.
On‐Demand Transit (ODT) is a new service available within the cities of Bentonville, Fayetteville, and Rogers. This service allows for an expanded service area and users to book an on‐demand trip using a smartphone app.]
Between all services, ORT provided 175,029 unlinked passenger trips in 2020. Prior to the COVID‐19 pandemic, the system carried 271,936 riders in 2019.
Since 2021, ORT has been transitioning some fixed route services to a new “on‐demand” model. This includes portions of Bentonville, Rogers, and Fayetteville. On‐demand service allows ORT to cover larger areas and provides more flexibility to riders, since trips can be booked directly between specific destinations rather than relying only on marked bus stops. In addition to these benefits, this service is providing ORT with valuable data on ridership patterns that are more granular than can be achieved through fixed route data points. This information will be a valuable tool to continue planning and implementation of new services and bus stop improvements in the region. Figure 1.1 shows the existing ORT system.
Ozark Regional Transit coordinates with and provides connections to the region’s other fixed route provider: Razorback Transit operated by the University of Arkansas. As Razorback Transit’s primary goal is to provide transportation to and from the campus, it operates exclusively within Fayetteville and schedules vary based on the school calendar. The primary connection points between these two systems are the Northwest Arkansas Mall and Hillcrest Towers. Northwest Arkansas is also home to several 5310 transportation providers. ORT coordinates with these providers as needed to provide quality transportation for residents.
Planning Background
There are a number of plans within the Northwest Arkansas region that recognize the need for enhanced transit services and support for improved amenities at stops. The following is a summary of plans and programs that relate to or have specific language describing transit improvements, and more specifically transit stop improvements. Most of the plans and programs mentioned refer to the Northwest Arkansas region, but some are city specific. Some cities do not have specific plans or programs related to transit or rely on parts of regional plans for their city, and thus were not included in this section.
Continue reading our ORT Bus Stop Enhancement plan via the PDF link provided below.
Bus Stop Inventory List
Ride with us today!
Ozark Regional Transit provides safe, reliable, and affordable public transportation to both the rural and urban residents of the four-county area within our jurisdiction. Take a look at our current, available bus routes here. If you’d like to learn more about ORT, contact us by calling 479-756-5901 or visiting our website today. Have you heard about ORT’s On-Demand Transit? Download the app today on the apple or google play stores!
