The Mountain State Transit Authority (MTA) has officially started on the renovation project at its headquarters in Summersville, said Bill Robinson, Executive Director of Public Transit in the West Virginia Department of Transportation’s (WVDOT) Division of Multimodal Transportation Facilities. The development marks a significant milestone for the public transportation service, which has been an essential part of the community and surrounding areas for decades.
MTA operates bus services in Nicholas, Webster, Pocahontas, and Greenbrier counties, including the communities of Summersville, Richwood, Webster Springs, and Lewisburg. The addition of Pocahontas County to the bus lines in 2021 provided access for Pocahontas County residents to the rest of the county and to the other counties served by MTA.
“We have several people tell us, if it wasn’t for MTA, they would not be able to go to jobs,” said MTA General Manager Tim Thomas. “They would not be able to go to medical. They would not be able to go to school. And by school, I mean college.”
In addition, its service routes connect to the Kanawha Valley Regional Transportation Authority (KRT), providing crucial links to transportation hubs in Fayette County and beyond.
“This is the beginning of headquarter rehabilitation projects that will serve the public's needs for the next 20 years.” Robinson said.
The renovation project aims to modernize and expand the current facilities at MTA’s Summersville headquarters, accommodating the growing demands of the service. Plans include the construction of new office spaces to support the administrative and operational needs of the agency. This will also involve the creation of a dedicated training room, which will serve as a valuable resource for driver education and other professional development programs.
In addition to office and training space, the project will focus on expanding the garage area to house more buses, ensuring that MTA can continue to accommodate its growing fleet of vehicles. The total cost of the renovation is estimated at $2.12 million, with a substantial portion of the funding—$1.69 million —coming from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
MTA.The completion of the renovation will allow the Mountain State Transit Authority to continue to grow and enhance its network, ultimately benefiting both residents and visitors throughout the region. As more residents rely on public transportation for daily commutes and other needs, the MTA’s upgraded facilities will provide the necessary infrastructure to keep pace with the region's evolving transportation demands.
This investment in public transit is part of a broader effort by the Multimodal Division to improve transportation access throughout the Appalachian region of West Virginia, where public transit options are vital for connecting remote areas to larger urban centers. With this project, MTA reaffirms its commitment to providing efficient, affordable, and sustainable transportation for all. The timeline for completion of the headquarters is fall 2025.