Correction: An earlier version of this story said the Volunteer Transportation Center was planning to launch the new bus route. In fact, St. Lawrence County Public Transit will be handling the route. North Country This Week regrets the error.

BY ANDY GARDNER
North Country This Week

MASSENA -- The St. Lawrence County Public Transit plans to launch an intra-village bus route in Massena that would connect to Akwesasne, and eventually elsewhere in the area.

Frank Doldo, a mobility manager for St. Lawrence County, said they are planning to start service March 2.

He said their tentative schedule includes stops at the Massena Housing Authority, Massena Memorial Hospital, the Harte Haven Plaza, the St. Lawrence Centre, Bob's Motel, Aldi, Price Chopper, Walmart, farmer's market, Twin Leaf, the Akwesasne casino, Akwesasne senior center and Massena Community Center.

They will also likely have a stop at the North Main Street Dollar General for riders going to the north end of town.

"I wanted to hit someplace near the high school and in junior high school area, and I wanted to hit out someplace near Madison Elementary, somewhere out on that road. We couldn't do it there, so we're gonna hit the Dollar General," Doldo said.

He said their schedule will be released prior to the service launching, and they will revise it after a few months based on rider demand.

They included Bob's Motel because some of the local homeless population are housed there.

"We have a homeless population that needs to get to services and access. This is getting people access," he said. "The game plan is ... during the four months, I'm going to figure out how to make direct routes from Massena to Potsdam and Canton, and Massena to Ogdensburg ... people need counseling services and medical services both in Canton and Potsdam."

He said the reason for the Akwesasne connection is because of employment opportunities at the casino, and the demand for people to get to Mohawk Vision for children's glasses.

The loop of stops will take about two hours to traverse, with rides going from 7 a.m. to 6 or 7 p.m.

Doldo said there will be a fare to take the bus, but the first month will be free.

"There's a local business that called me up, and we sealed the deal last week, they're going to pay for all the fares for the first month ... they're going to be on the bus to do giveaways," he said, declining to name the business. "They want to partner with another organization in Massena that's waiting for their funding to come in."

Doldo said Ogdensburg gives rides to about 400 riders per month, and they're expecting a higher demand in Massena.