Coordinated Transportation...

The Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center (CGRDC) contracts with the Georgia Department of Human Resources (DHR) for provision of coordinated transportation services in the nine-county coastal region.  Effective FY2006, with the transfer of Screven County into the coastal region, Coordinated Transportation will operate under the auspices of the CGRDC upon transfer of aging services.

The CGRDC administers the DHR transportation contract and subcontracts with various providers throughout the region for provision of coordinated transportation services for the Division of Aging Services (DAS/AAA), the Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS), the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Addictive Diseases (MHDDAD), and the GoodWorks Program.  These services are provided to eligible DHR consumers in order to enhance health, independence, and self-sufficiency.  Eligibility requirements vary contingent upon the funding used to support the program.

Collaborative efforts were initiated with DHR and the Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT) in FY2005 to design a Regional Plan for Rural and Coordinated Public Transportation.  The concept of the regional plan is to merge the funding and resources of the DHR with the DOT to bring about a seamless regional system providing transportation to DHR consumers and the general public simultaneously in Bryan, Bulloch, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, and Screven counties.

Through a grant from DOT, the CGRDC retained the services of a specialized consultant and a comprehensive transportation study was conducted in the coastal region to ascertain specific transportation needs within each county.  Approximately 280 surveys were distributed to transportation providers, human service agencies, and the general public.  During the study, individual meetings were held in each county and with area legislators to discuss the regional plan and gather additional information.  A steering committee of 65 members guided the direction of the study.  The initial phase of the study was completed in December 2005 and the regional plan concept was unanimously approved by the Steering Committee and the CGRDC Board of Directors.

Georgia was awarded a United We Ride grant in the amount of $75,000 in May 2006 for completion of the Regional Plan.  The CGRDC is awaiting receipt of this grant to initiate Phase II, which will be the final implementation phase of the regional plan.  Phase II will investigate software needs, design routes, develop a fee structure for public ridership, and determine the actual cost to each county choosing to participate in the Regional Plan.  Upon initiation of Phase II, a Technical Committee has been established to guide the study, and  additional county meetings will be held during the final phase for input by each county.