All aboard the fun bus tonight: Free RCT rides to and from the first Final Friday event

MANSFIELD — The Edgar Winter Group isn’t performing at the first Final Friday concert tonight in The Brickyard.

But no one can blame Jean Taddie and the folks at Richland County Transit if they hope area residents recall one of the band’s biggest hits, recorded nearly 50 years ago.

The name of that song? Free Ride.

That’s because Taddie, transit development manager for the Richland County Regional Planning Commission, is hoping area residents take advantage of free bus rides to and from the popular downtown party.

RCT plans to provide fare-free, on-demand response rides during the five scheduled Final Friday events at The Brickyard at 21 E. Temple Court in 2024.

It’s a pilot project for the public transit agency, which is interested in exploring other on-demand transportation possibilities in the future.

Taddie, who admitted Thursday “just a handful of people” have called to request rides thus far, said she hopes the Final Friday effort will help introduce RCT to segments of the community who have never used it.

‘I want them to come check us out if they haven’t been on an RCT bus before,” she said.

“Sometimes people have an impression of what a bus is like on the inside, based on a big city model, a New York City metro or something,” Taddie said.

“But I like to say we’re a lot more like (the TV show) ‘Cheers.’ We’re going to get to know your name. People that ride regularly, they get to know each other, as well.

“So there’s a friendly community and I invite people to come on, check us out, get a safe, reliable ride to and from, or just to, or just from, Final Friday,” Taddie said.

Three pop/rock bands are lined up for opening night of the free music series that began in 2007. The event packs thousands of people into the venue at 21 E. Temple Court.

Ethan Timm opens the show at 5:30 p.m., followed by Yak Pak at 6:30 p.m. The Michael Weber Show headlines the concert, expected to take the stage at 8:30 p.m.

RCT has posted all needed information about the Final Friday service on its website at https://rctbuses.com/final-friday/

It starts by calling 419-522-4504 to schedule pickup from your home, starting at 7 p.m.

RCT plans to use five of its smaller buses during each event, all of which are ADA-accessible and bike-friendly. No alcohol is permitted aboard the bus.

The buses will drop passengers off on North Diamond Street near The Phoenix Brewing Company, not far from the Brickyard.

You can also reserve your ride home and will get on bus at the same location on Diamond Street. If you didn’t reserve a ride home, but find you would appreciate the service, just walk to the pickup site and provide your name and address. These same-day appointments will be accepted based on availability.

Taddie said the transit company has worked hard to prepare for the launch of its pilot project.

“We are prepared. This is a pilot and we are putting things together one step at a time. The pieces are still coming together and falling into place,” she said.

“We’re ready. We’re ready if folks want to come from downtown at night and get a ride home. We’re ready if they want to call us and come pick them up. The phone lines are open,” Taddie said.

She said RCT will be surveying residents using the service Friday night in an attempt to continue refining and improving the effort.

“The customer experience … what was the wait time like … what was your experience like on the bus? Would you ride again? What other services would you like to see in the future?” Taddie said.

The Downtown Improvement Advisory Board voted in April to pay $4,335 to help RCT cover the costs associated with the first two Final Friday events in May and June.

RCT estimates the cost to provide the service across five nights at $31,925, which would include other funding sources and federal funds.

Taddie told the downtown advisory board the pilot project can be used as a starting point to expand capacity of (on-demand) transit service in the city as a whole.

“Those interested in the goals of the Mansfield Rising Plan … that plan identified an interest in getting better diversity.”

She said the pilot project was identified in RCT’s 10-year transit development program.

“Our riders on our (RCT strategic plan) said we’d like to come to some events, but darn it, your service never runs when events are happening,” she said.

“This would be an opportunity to not only answer the riders who asked for it, but at the same time, during that same planning for our transit, people from organizations and agencies and community members (brought) up Final Friday as a good idea to reduce the parking challenges,” Taddie said in April.

“Building this capacity will be a launching point for other new services in the future,” she said.