Open Plains Transit celebrated their commitment to rural transportation services during Nebraska Public Transit Week, which took place from April 9 to April 15, 2023. This event is a celebration and promotion of public transit services across Nebraska, organized by the Nebraska Department of Transportation, the University of Nebraska at Kearney’s Nebraska Safety Center, and the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Center for Public Affairs Research in cooperation with Nebraska’s public transit providers.
Open Plains Transit, formerly known as Panhandle Trails Intercity Public Transit, hosted an Open House and Ribbon Cutting event in celebration of their official rebranding. A nice crowd was on hand for the event, which took place at their operations base in Alliance, Nebraska. Presentations from the NDOT Mobility Management Team, Olsson & Associates, regional transportation associates, and healthcare representatives were delivered, followed by the ribbon cutting ceremony.
Jonnie Kusek, OPT Director of Transportation, highlighted the importance of inclusivity and expanding services beyond the Nebraska Panhandle region. OPT provides accessible intercity bus services to 15 western Nebraska counties, Pine Ridge, SD, and demand response services in soon to be over fifty communities. They plan to implement regularly scheduled bus services to Rapid City, SD by July 1st. OPT services extend to the most remote rural areas of Box Butte and Sheridan Counties, with plans to extend this type of county-wide service in Cherry County as well.
Advanced paid reservations are required, and a minimum of three days request is recommended, as availability fills up quite quickly. For more information and reservations, interested individuals can contact Jonnie Kusek at 308-761-8747 between Monday to Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The community also had the opportunity to provide feedback via completed surveys, which entered them into a prize drawing.
