Laketran and Auburn Career Center Partner to Launch Auburn GO, Improving Public Transit Access for Students
Program will help remove transportation barriers and connect students to employment, internships, education and community opportunities
LAKE COUNTY, OH – Laketran and Auburn Career Center are partnering to launch Auburn GO, a new student transportation program that will provide Auburn Career Center High School and Adult students with free access to Laketran’s public transportation services.
Auburn Career Center is a leading career and technical education institution serving more than 2,000 high school and adult students each year throughout Northeast Ohio. Auburn provides students with hands-on, industry-aligned education designed to prepare them for successful careers, continued education and lifelong learning.
The program is designed to help students overcome transportation barriers that can limit access to educational opportunities, employment, internships, apprenticeships and other experiences that help prepare them for successful careers.
The partnership was established after Auburn Career Center surveyed its students to better understand their transportation needs and identify barriers that may be affecting their ability to participate in workforce development and community opportunities. The results highlighted the significant role transportation plays in students’ ability to pursue opportunities beyond the classroom.
Among the key findings:
● Nearly 1 in 3 students reported that transportation has limited their ability to participate in at least one educational, employment or community opportunity.
● 1 in 5 students said transportation has limited their ability to access or maintain a job.
● More than 4 in 10 students identified at least one potential workforce or educational use for Laketran, including employment, internships, apprenticeships, job interviews or continuing education.
The need for transportation access was even more pronounced among students who do not always have reliable transportation. Among this group, nearly 9 in 10 said free Laketran access would be valuable, more than 9 in 10 said they would potentially use the service, and nearly 9 in 10 believed it could make obtaining or maintaining employment easier.
“These survey results reinforced what we know, transportation is more than getting from one place to another. It is access to opportunity,” said Dr. Joe Glavan, Auburn Career Center Superintendent. “We want our students to be able to take advantage of internships, employment opportunities and experiences that help them build their futures. Partnering with Laketran gives our students another resource to help make those opportunities possible.”
Through Auburn GO, enrolled students will receive free, unlimited rides on Laketran’s Local Routes 1-9. Students will register for the program through Auburn Career Center. Once enrolled, they will download Laketran’s EZfare mobile app, where a digital transit pass will be made available. Students simply scan their digital ticket when boarding a Laketran bus to ride at no charge.
“Reliable transportation can make a tremendous difference in a person's ability to pursue education, gain work experience and become part of the workforce,” said Ben Capelle, Laketran CEO. “Auburn GO reflects a shared commitment by Laketran and Auburn Career Center to strengthen workforce development, expand access to opportunity and support the next generation of Lake County's labor force.