Ottumwa Transit Authority


The Ottumwa Transit Authority, often shortened to OTA, operates bus transit services throughout Ottumwa area. The fixed-route system includes Five routes and a shopping shuttle. It also operates a para-transit service known as Ottumwa Transit Authority Lift and Job Access Reverse Commute, a dial-a-ride service geared towards employees.
The five routes that operate Monday through Friday are: #1 North, #2 East West, #3 South Residential, #4 South Commercial, and #7 Airport. There are also two routes that operate on Saturday only; no routes operate on Sunday. It is governed by the Ottumwa Transit Advisory Board, which makes recommendations to the Ottumwa City Council.

Routes

The OTA was surrounded by controversy in 2011, following a state audit and investigations by the Federal Transit Administration and the Iowa Department of Transportation. The state auditor's office determined that OTA overstated ridership “by an estimated 50 percent,” and that the inflated numbers were increased by office staff on the instructions of Director Pam Ward. At the same time, allegations arose that OTA altered driver time sheets. The audit report was released on May 24th, 2011. On June 1st, 2011, Director Pam Ward and Tom Jones, the man union officials say altered driver timesheets, were both placed on indefinite leave. Both were later terminated. On June 7th, 2011, the city of Ottumwa decided to take away the Transit Boards autonomy, which had the city officially take over management of the transit system. An investigation followed by the FBI and Federal Transit Authority officers. In January 2013, Ward was indicted on four counts of making false statements to the Department of Transportation regarding ridership numbers. OTA now operates within federal and state guidelines and continues to receive federal and state funding.