Franklin County commissioner praises Kota graduates, urges continued investment in transit jobs

Franklin County Commissioner Erica Cwley congratulated graduates at a Kota training ceremony and urged continued investment in transit workforce programs, saying transportation is central to housing, employment and health care.

"You finished something hard," Cwley said, addressing graduates and their families. She praised the "rigorous" training many had completed and said programs like Driving Futures are examples of county investments that create career pathways.

Cwley framed transit work as vital to the region's economic and social fabric. "How a city moves is how a city lives," she said, describing lessons from a recent trip to Brazil to study bus rapid transit systems. She added that conversations about housing, employment and health care must include transportation because service gaps have direct consequences: "a missed bus can mean a missed paycheck," and a missed appointment can escalate into a medical emergency.

Cwley expressly voiced support for local operators: "I have always been a strong advocate of Kota and remain a strong supporter of Linkas," she said, and praised the trust riders place in frontline employees. She noted that Franklin County is "the largest in Ohio and one of the fastest growing," and told graduates they will play a key role in meeting the region's rising demands.

The commissioner closed by thanking graduates, families and program staff for their work and offering congratulations. No formal actions or policy votes were taken at the ceremony.