OVTC reorganizes, takes delivery of new vans

The Oneida Vilas Transit Commission (OVTC), the panel that includes members of the Oneida and Vilas County boards and oversees operations of the Northwoods Transit Connection (NTC), reorganized at its April 25 meeting.

NTC director Barb Newman said Vilas County supervisor Marv Anderson was once again chosen as commission chairman and Oneida County supervisor Bill Fried will serve as vice-chairman. 

New to the commission member are two newly elected members of the Oneida County board, Lenore Lopez and Michael Tautges, who are replacing Connor Showalter and Tony Rio. 

The day after the meeting, Newman reported that three new Ford Transit vans the commission ordered in September of 2023 had been delivered.

“It’s gonna take a little while to get them on the road,” she said. “I still have to send some paperwork in before the DOT (Wisconsin Department of Transportation says they’re ready and then we need in insurance and GPSs and cameras.”

Equipped to carry two wheelchairs, each seven-passenger Transit costs $81,296.

Newman said the purchase was funded through an 80/20 grant, the bulk of which came from the government. Twenty percent came from the aging and disability resource centers for Oneida and Vilas Counties. 

“We (the OVTC) also had some money in our bus trust, too,” Newman said. “It’ll take a little bit before they’re on the road but at least we have them.”

Brian Jopek may be reached via email at [email protected].