January 1991. To address growing social service needs, the Lehigh Valley Transportation Bank, similar to the food bank concept, was formed. Funds were donated to underwrite transportation for the needy for enabling purposes like going to job interviews or medical appointments. Up to $7,000 was raised in some years to meet these needs.
March 1991. The Lehigh Valley Coalition for TransitNow was established to urge state and federal transit funding authorization.
October 11, 1991. Jim Thorpe Tours operate Nazareth service 5 days/week for three years.
December 18, 1991. President George W. Bush signed into law the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991. This Act reauthorized federal funding for six years for the nation’s highways and mass transit. The efforts of the Coalition were a success.
January 14, 1992. A contract was awarded for three new diesel minibuses to Bus Industries of America. At least two of the vehicles were used in the expanded downtown Allentown circular system.
January 26, 1992. The ADA Act went into effect. LANTA adopted a plan to fully meet federal regulations, allowing more access to those unable to ride the fixed-route buses.
March 1992. LANTA began a year-long celebration of 20 yrs service to the Lehigh Valley.
June 8, 1992. George R. Hall was named the 10th LANTA Chairman.
January 1993. The Authority’s Strategic Plan for 1993-2003 was introduced, focusing on growing and changing needs of the Lehigh Valley and the challenge to meet those needs.
April 1, 1993. The cash fare was set at $1.10. The deep discount ticket program continues, with tickets costing 70 cents per ride. Transfers were prices at 10 cents per ride.
July 12, 1993. New Monday–Friday Starlight service began on three routes; Allentown, Bethlehem and Whitehall areas. Bethlehem–Easton Starlight routing began the following Sept.
August 1993, LANTA provided special shuttle service for Musikfest. The promotional partners shared the operating costs.
September 1993. A $500,000 renovation project on the Easton garage was completed. This project was funded through an FTA grant and took two years to complete.
November 27-December 19, 1993. Starlight routes operated on Sat. evenings and Sun. during the holiday season. This was the first regular Sun. service in LANTA’s history.
March 17, 1994. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the Hellertown Park & Ride lot. This was the first officially constructed intermodal facility in the Lehigh Valley.
May 1994. Using the model established for Musikfest, shuttle services for the Mayfair Celebration of the Arts was instituted. The promotional partners shared the operating costs.
July 1994. Donald J. Mahoney was named the 11th Authority Chairman.
September 6, 1994. To meet the growing peak hour demand, new service was introduced in LVIPs IV, V and the Bethlehem Business Park.
November 11, 1994. The WhirlyBird Mall Express, a mall-to-mall shuttle in Whitehall Township was started. LANTA also introduced other shuttle routes in the Whitehall, Fogelsville and Trexlertown areas and assumed operation of the Nazareth service.
January 1995. LANTA began working with Allentown and a private carrier on a project to finance a downtown Allentown intercity bus terminal, located at 6th and Linden Street.
January 30, 1995. The electric bus from Advanced Vehicle Systems arrived at LANTA to be used on the Downtown Allentown service (DASH). DASH was a joint venture between LANTA and PPL, hence the electric bus. This electric bus was lovingly called “Zippy’ by those that both rode and operated the bus.
April 1, 1995. LANTA’s cash fare was set at $1.25. The deep discount ticket program continued, with a 40-ride ticket at 75 cents per ride and 10-ride tickets at 80 cents per ride.
August 1995. Innovative point deviation service began for the Borough of Bath. This combined door-to-door and fixed-route transportation using just one vehicle.
October 1995. An in-dept origin/destination passenger survey took place. After the financial crisis of 1994, LANTA was looking to improve productivity and lower costs.
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