Changes coming to Aiken County public transportation

AIKEN, S.C. (WJBF)- The Lower Savannah Council of Governments coordinates public transit in Aiken County. Because of the high rate of growth there, leaders are looking for better ways to improve public transportation.

Aiken County’s ‘Best Friend Express’ bus system hasn’t seen many changes in the last 20 years.

“Lower Savannah Council of Governments took over management operation of the Best Friend Express public transportation system from Aiken County in 2004. And really they have been no improvements made except for a couple of route additions,” said Christine Chandler, Transit Operation Manager for Best Friend Express.

As it stands now, Aiken County’s transit system operates 6 buses across 3 fixed routes in North Augusta and Aiken. The SRF Consulting Group is evaluating the service.

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“We’ve had stakeholder meetings, community leader meetings, we’ve had driver meetings and operator, meetings, surveys we send out to find out what we can do better to serve the community better,” explained Chandler.

Short and long-term plans are in place, including installing fixed bus stops with schedules to replace the flag-down system.

“Right now it is a flag down system so anybody on the, on the route will can flag down a bus, which is a safety concern. A visible bus stop system is a benefit to everyone involved in traffic. Pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, you name it. It’s just not safe,” Chandler said.

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A long-term proposal includes extending the current routes to cover more areas, particularly addressing growth in places like North Augusta.

“They have concluded their current status of the system and are proposing a new near term route recommendation and also long term route recommendation changes to the system. To make it more efficient, to potentially put real bus stops in the ground with time schedules,” Chandler said.

You can learn more about these plans at two public meetings.

The first will be Tuesday, April 30 at 10 a.m. at the Lessie B Price Senior and Youth Center in Aiken.

The next one is Wednesday, May 1 at the North Augusta Community Center at 10 a.m.

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