Medina Transit Restores Service After Storm Outage

Medina County Transit loses phone and internet service as 70 mph winds hit Northeast Ohio

Medina County Transit Loses Phone Service in Storm

Medina County Public Transit lost phone and internet service Friday afternoon after severe storms with winds up to 70 mph swept across Northeast Ohio, officials said. The Medina County Board of Commissioners announced the outage shortly after 1 p.m. on March 13, 2026. The National Weather Service issued a high-wind warning effective until 8 p.m. for counties stretching from Toledo to Youngstown, with forecasters predicting gusts could reach 70 mph.

Multiple County Agencies Affected

The communications disruption affected multiple Medina County government facilities beyond the transit system. The Medina County Home, the Medina County Dog Shelter, and the Medina County Soil and Water Conservation District also experienced service outages, according to county officials. Weather officials warned the strong winds had the potential to knock down trees and power lines, causing scattered power outages across the region. Transit agencies typically face operational challenges during severe weather events when communication systems fail, as dispatchers can't coordinate with drivers and riders can't access schedule information.

Hazardous Conditions Across Region

The high-wind warning remained in effect through Friday evening as the storm system continued moving across Northern Ohio. Weather officials warned residents to remain cautious and stay in lower levels of homes away from windows during periods of strong wind. Drivers were advised to watch for falling debris and tree limbs and exercise extra care if travel was necessary. The duration of the service outage for affected county agencies wasn't immediately clear, officials said.

Service Restoration Timeline Unclear

County officials didn't provide a timeline for when phone and internet service would be restored to the transit system and other affected agencies. The outage occurred during afternoon hours when transit service is typically active. Officials haven't said whether bus routes continued operating during the communications disruption or if service was modified due to the severe weather conditions.

Riders Face Communication Challenges

Transit riders in Medina County faced uncertainty Friday afternoon as the agency's phone lines remained down during the storm. Officials haven't said how riders can get current service information while communications are disrupted. Moovit provides real-time transit updates and service alerts for riders during weather-related disruptions and other service changes.