The City of Statesboro is partnering with the Coastal Regional Commission to bring a new accessible transit system to the Statesboro area. The transit system is projected to begin running in January 2023 and will provide a free transportation service to its citizens for the first six months.
After the first six months, the proposed fare is $1 per rider. The Statesboro Area Transit system will be a baseline shuttle service system available Monday-Friday from 6:00am-6:00pm, with an advance 24-hour notice pick-up option available on their website.
Public feedback motivated transit system
The City of Statesboro held several public meetings to find out which new public works were most needed in the city.
City of Statesboro Director of Public Works & Engineering, John Washington, said, “There was an expressed need by the citizens in the community to get to grocery stores and local shops more conveniently.”
After accepting this feedback from the public on a need for additional public transportation, a local transit system was proposed.
The City also looked at the many other regions throughout the State of Georgia that already successfully utilize a transit system. Putting the public feedback together with other positive examples throughout the state, the transit system quickly became a top priority for the Statesboro City Council.
The city applied for a federal grant for funding from the Georgia Department of Transportation, with The Coastal Regional Commission (CRC) being a co-applicant on the grant. The grant was approved by the state, and plans were immediately underway for the Statesboro Area Transit project.
Buses coming soon
So, here we are at the finishing point of the transit implementation project, and citizens will soon be able to enjoy the many conveniences of having affordable community transportation!
The buses are scheduled to be delivered on November 14, 2022, and in the weeks following their delivery, they will be customized with finishing touches of the Statesboro Area Transit logo. (You can see the full projected finished transit shuttle photo here.)
There will be a total of four operating shuttles for the transit system, and there will be 3 transit shuttle stop locations. One stop will be at The Georgia Southern Cambridge Apartments, another one will be within the Northside Drive area, and the final one will be by the Statesboro Post Office downtown. The city will be operating on two, mostly fixed routes, with a “flex service” route option being available with the submission of a 24-hour advance request online.
The projected bus routes will go as far West as the Boys and Girls Club area, as far East as the Northside Drive area, as far North as the North Main Street area, and as far south as the Georgia Southern University area. (You can see the projected bus route and transfer station map larger below.
Washington would like to give a special thanks to Kiara Ahmed (Department Civil Engineer) whose dynamic work on the Statesboro Area Transit project has been instrumental to the development of this new transit system for Statesboro.
Drivers needed
The transit program will be operated by the Coastal Regional Commission. CRC, located in Darien, GA, is now hiring part-time and full-time bus drivers ahead of the program rollout. The driver position is responsible for driving an assigned bus on a predetermined fixed route. The position is a safety-sensitive position and applicants must pass a drug/alcohol test, criminal background check, and have a clean driving record. For an application, reach out to Chrishonda Grant at [email protected] or (912) 514-1608.
For more information on the City of Statesboro’s new Statesboro Area Transit System, please visit the City of Statesboro’s website or follow along on their Facebook page for additional updates.
