Expanded Commuter Service at University Circle Employment Center by Laketran's Park-n-Ride
Laketran, a public transit agency serving Lake and Geauga Counties in northeast Ohio, has expanded its Park-n-Ride commuter service to University Circle, a major employment center with nearly 70,000 jobs in healthcare, higher education, and cultural institutions.
The new Route 13 offers weekday service with four daily departures from Park-n-Ride lots in Painesville Township, Mentor, and Wickliffe, connecting Lake County commuters to this growing job hub. This expansion aims to support the region’s employment growth, especially for healthcare workers who largely cannot work remotely and rely on reliable transit.
Laketran CEO Ben Capelle emphasizes the importance of adjusting service to reflect the post-COVID shift in commuting patterns and to sustain long-term ridership growth by reaching diverse destinations. He stated that the service expansion aligns with Laketran's goal to diversify destinations for its commuter services and increase ridership systemwide.
To encourage commuters to try the new service, Laketran is offering fare-free rides on the University Circle route during August 2025. Regular Park-n-Ride fare is $3.75 one way, with reduced fares of $1.50 for seniors, people with disabilities, students, and veterans.
University Circle Inc. has partnered with Laketran to bring more transportation options to University Circle, enhancing accessibility and making it easier for visitors to enjoy the area. This expansion is strategically designed to be cost-neutral for the transit agency without requiring additional funding by reallocating resources from less-used downtown routes.
The University Circle area now rivals downtown Cleveland in attracting commuters from Lake County. Most of the workforce in the University Circle area is in healthcare and unable to work remotely, making reliable public transit options essential. With up to 70,000 jobs accessible to the new route, the service aims to better meet the needs of residents commuting to work, attending college, going to medical appointments, or visiting museums.
This diversification of commuter destinations makes Laketran's Park-n-Ride system more sustainable and responsive to regional workforce trends. Laketran's Park-n-Ride service expansion reflects a long-term goal to reach more destinations and attract more commuters. The University Circle area's employment growth has been primarily driven by the healthcare sector, which now makes up 21 percent of Cleveland's healthcare jobs.
Sources:
- Laketran expands Park-n-Ride service to University Circle
- Laketran connects Lake County to growing Cleveland job hub
- Laketran
- Mass Transit Magazine
- As people in Lake and Geauga Counties seek employment opportunities in the growing healthcare sector of University Circle, they can now benefit from the expanded Park-n-Ride commuter service, which provides reliable transportation via the new Route 13.
- In an effort to accommodate the increasing demand for public transit in the finance, healthcare, and education sectors, Laketran, a transportation provider, has allocated resources from less-used downtown routes to expand its services, a decision that aims to support the industry's continuous growth in the region.
