Public Transportation Use Continues to Grow in Oswego County

Oswego County Mobility Management announced that it welcomed 50,284 riders during the first half of 2026 and aims to reach 100,000 riders by the end of the year!

“Oswego County Public Transportation (OPT) is a vital resource for our residents that helps ensure they can get to work, school, grocery stores, medical appointments and other essential destinations,” said Oswego County Legislator Mary Ellen Chesbro, District 10, chairwoman of the Legislature’s Economic Development and Planning Committee.

“We’ve seen our ridership continue to grow year after year, demonstrating the importance of these services and the growing demand from our community,” she added. “We also remain committed to expanding mobility options, strengthening access and ensuring our residents have the transportation they need to thrive.”

OPT provides residents with transportation through fixed routes and the on-demand ACCESS Oswego County service. OPT offers four fixed route options which provide connections across the county. ACCESS Oswego County is a curb-to-curb transportation service for residents who do not live near an OPT or Centro bus route.

“Public transportation is an important part of daily life for many of our residents,” said Oswego County Mobility Management Director Heather Snow. “While our ridership was once primarily made up of senior citizens, we’re now seeing families, working individuals and students regularly rely on these services.”

OPT ridership has grown steadily in recent years. From 49,070 in 2023, to 94,165 in 2024, to 97,899 riders recorded last year.

“Much of this growth can be attributed to our community outreach efforts, which help residents learn about the transportation options available to them and how to access and navigate those services,” said Snow. “We’ve evolved into a one-stop resource center, working directly with residents to build their confidence in using public transportation and connecting them with other transit resources. Ultimately, our goal is to empower them with the knowledge and tools they need to travel independently and become more self-reliant.

“Our growth would not be possible without our partnership with Oswego County Opportunities (OCO) Transportation and the shared ride system we’ve built together,” she emphasized. “By combining vehicles, staff and other resources, we’re able to coordinate services more efficiently, reduce duplication and make more transportation options available to the community.”

Mobility Management staff regularly attend community events and visit facilities and organizations to distribute transportation information. Staff also offer free “Ride the Route” classes to teach people how to navigate the OPT and Centro bus systems.

The next “Ride the Route” classes are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Sept. 15 and 29 in the training room of the Oswego County Health Department, 70 Bunner St., Oswego. To sign up, contact Oswego County Mobility Management Coordinator Kristen Fragale at kristen.fragale@oswegocountyny.gov or 315-746-4221.

New technology has also been implemented to better serve residents. Launched in 2025, the Ride Oswego County app helps residents find the best travel options, track the location of their bus in real time, receive important notifications about their route and more. It can be downloaded by searching “Ride Oswego County” on the app store of your mobile device or go to the Apple App Store or Google Play.

In addition to providing fixed route and on-demand transportation services, the Mobility Management Office also offers residents free rides to various community events, including farmers’ markets and the New York State Fair. It partnered with Golden Sun Bus to provide more than 4,000 people with transportation to this year’s “Balloons Under the Moon” in Granby, and there were more than 1,000 riders for the New York State Fair transportation.

To learn more about Oswego County Mobility Management and its services, call 315-746-4220 or visit its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/oswegocountymm.

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