%1

These Cleveland church vans will drive you to work

It’s hard to get around without a car in Northeast Ohio. Decades of neglect by the federal and state governments have resulted in endless cuts to transit service, which in turn have led to years of ridership decline.

Amid this transit death spiral, the state continues to pursue initiatives that encourage sprawl. Cleveland has lost 6 percent of its population since 2010, according to the 2020 Census. The declining tax base and government neglect have stranded low-income people who cannot afford to move elsewhere and need transit the most.