Ohio University Southern students who utilize public transportation throughout Lawrence County will soon be able to save a few dollars during the upcoming spring season.

Beginning March 30 and continuing for three months, OUS students can ride any Tri-State Transit Authority-Ohio Division bus line free of charge by just showing valid school identification. The special ends June 30.

The bus routes eligible for the free OUS student ride are: Route 11 (Proctorville/Huntington); Route 12 (Ironton/Huntington); Route 13 (Downtown Ironton) and Route 14 (Ironton/Ashland).

Students who opt for a transfer to any other TTA bus route not included in the special would be required to pay the necessary rate.

TTA-Ohio also announced that a weekday stop at the OU–Proctorville campus has been added to the Route 11 (Proctorville/Huntington) line with four daily stops.

Mike Payne, of the Ironton-Lawrence County Community Action Organization, the group that administers TTA-Ohio, said daily stops at OU–Proctorville will be at 7:51 a.m., 11:11 a.m., 12:41 p.m., 3:06 p.m. and 4:06 p.m.

Payne added that Route 12 (Ironton/Huntington) would add three additional weekday stops to accommodate riders including stops at Wal-Mart, OU Ironton and Ironton Plaza.

“I believe the stops at OU Proctorville will help the students, and the three new stops at Wal-Mart, OU Ironton and the Ironton Plaza will allow people to park and ride at those locations to get to their destinations earlier in the day,” said Payne.

Payne added that if student demand is strong during the special, the bus line would consider the possibilities of adding wireless Internet technology to the bus lines as an added benefit for students traveling to either campus.

Debuting in July 2008, TTA-Ohio was the first public transportation bus system in Lawrence County since the Ohio Valley Bus System stopped operating here in the early 1970s.

The move created a comprehensive link between the TTA network in West Virginia and Kentucky.

Stop schedules for all TTA-Ohio routes and rates can be found at www.tta-oh.com or by calling 894-RIDE.