TOLEDO, Ohio, September 24, 2024 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), an internationally ranked architecture and engineering firm headquartered in downtown Toledo, is excited to announce collaborative initiatives with the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) to promote enhanced sustainable transportation solutions, as well as a new project partnership aimed at propelling Toledo further into the future. TARTA serves communities throughout northwest Ohio.
On September 23rd, SSOE CEO Vince DiPofi, PE, who frequently uses public transit both in Toledo and during his travels, boarded Route 32 at the Kroger Marketplace on Orchard Centre Road. DiPofi also could have scheduled a pickup directly from his home using the transit authority’s Flex app. TARTA Flex is an on-demand service designed to connect suburban and rural areas across Lucas County and Rossford, and DiPofi couldn’t be more excited about it as part of the suite of features the transit authority rolled out to riders to make for an even easier transit experience. He had the opportunity to share his appreciation for TARTA CEO Laura Koprowski’s passion for bus ridership and her commitment to the transit authority’s mission when she joined DiPofi on his route yesterday. Koprowski commutes to work using the TARTA system several days a week.
After his commute to the office alongside Koprowski, DiPofi shared, “It’s fantastic for our city to have a regional public transit provider that’s enhancing access through technological integration. TARTA now incorporates Google Maps to provide the most efficient route, just like the New York subway system. TARTA Flex is an Uber-like service that will go as far as to pick you up at your home and drive you to a fixed route or even another microtransit service. They’re offering affordable mobility, intercity connectivity, a solution to congestion, a safe option for teens to get to and from school, the list continues. You can even work it out so you can have your bike in tow, and what’s better than that?”
Leading the Charge and Driving the Future
As an organization, SSOE has long advocated for sustainable transportation and the infrastructure enhancements that support public transit. The firm is also a known leader in the electric vehicle and battery manufacturing subsectors that designed the world’s first and only automotive manufacturing plant to receive a LEED Platinum certification, the highest green building rating for reducing the environmental impacts of design and construction. When TARTA sought a partner to help move toward electrification, it didn’t have to look further than its own backyard.
TARTA’s vision for the near future includes plans for a zero-emission fleet, modernizing TARTA’s facilities for electric vehicles and becoming a net-zero consumer of electric power. The project is still in its infancy, with SSOE currently serving as owner’s representative. This partnership underscores the firm’s long-standing commitment to sustainable design and elevating the Toledo-area community where the firm has been headquartered for over 75 years.
“What we want to do is make transit the easiest part of someone’s day, and this partnership with SSOE is another way to accomplish that,” said Koprowski. “There is a tremendous amount of talent capable of working on complex projects like this in the Toledo area, and we couldn’t ask for a better partner as we begin the process of putting an electric fleet on the roads of northwest Ohio.
“An effective public transit system can raise the quality of life for everyone, even those who do not depend on it to get back and forth every day. It links people to jobs and education, expands the pool of potential employees for businesses, and spurs economic growth. This project with SSOE is one more step toward a cleaner, more efficient mobility system.”
Jennifer Breault, Senior Architect, Chair of SSOE’s Sustainable Design Strategy Group, and published thought leader on net-zero energy, was equally enthusiastic about SSOE’s support of TARTA’s initiatives, adding, “Our commitment to the Toledo-area community and dedication to sustainability are at the core of this initiative. This project announcement follows the release of SSOE’s inaugural Environmental, Social, and Governance Report, a direct output of our expanded sustainability strategy that’s evolved into 50+ pages of impactful metrics and highlights that we’ve made publicly available. It speaks to our commitment to environmental sustainability, as well as social responsibility and ethical business conduct.”
Breault continued, “We’re excited to support TARTA’s electrification initiatives and encourage our employees and the broader community to consider public transportation as a viable, easy, and eco-friendly option. We’re also looking forward to partnering with TARTA to host activities internally to further promote ridership here at SSOE.”
