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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORD COUNTY.
WELCOME TO ANOTHER EDITION OF COASTLINE.
WE ARE ON THE PALMETTO BREEZE, TROLLEY IN HILTON HEAD AND THE WHAT A DELIGHT.
THIS IS IT'S A BEAUTIFUL WARM DAY OUTSIDE.
AND THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON HERE IN THE TROLLEY.
AND I'M JOINED BY MARY LOU FRIEND-ZONE, WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF WHAT IS FORMALLY KNOWN OR OFFICIALLY KNOWN AS THE LOW COUNTRY, REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, BUT NOW HAS BRANDED ITSELF, UH, WITH A NUMBER OF BREEZES.
THERE IS THE PALMETTO BREEZE, WHICH COVERS A FIVE COUNTY REGIONAL AREA.
AND THERE IS THE BREEZE, WHICH IS THE, UH, TROLLEY SYSTEM THAT WE ARE ON SOON.
THERE WILL BE A BLUFFTON BREEZE, AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK TO HER ABOUT THAT.
AND ALSO FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DISABLED, THERE IS THE EASY BREEZE.
SO MARY LOU, IT'S SO GOOD TO HAVE YOU ON COASTLINE TODAY.
AND, UH, IT'S EXCITING TO SEE THIS BEAUTIFUL COACH THAT WE'RE DRIVING IN.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, YOURSELF, HOW YOU CAME TO BE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND, UM, WHAT, UH, IS GOING ON AS FAR AS THE BREEZE SYSTEM IS CONCERNED.
WELL, IT'S MY PLEASURE, OTHERS, NOTHING.
I LIKE TO TALK ABOUT MORE THAN, THAN THE BREEZE TROLLEYS AND THE SYSTEM AND, AND, UH, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN THIS AREA.
AND, UH, I CAME IN 2014 AND AT THAT TIME BELONGED TO THE FIRST TRANSIT OF MANAGEMENT COMPANY.
BUT SINCE THEN I NOW WORK DIRECTLY FOR THE AUTHORITY.
AND, UM, AS FAR AS HOW THE TROLLEYS CAME ABOUT IN 2017, WE RECEIVED OUR FIRST URBAN GRANT FROM THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION.
AND PART OF, UM, WHAT HILTON HAD DID IS THEY HAD A CIRCLE TO CIRCLE A COMMITTEE THAT, UH, MADE RECOMMENDATIONS TO ALEVE THE TRAFFIC.
AND PART OF THAT STUDY TALKED ABOUT USING TROLLEYS TO HELP GET CARS OFF THE ROAD.
AND SO WITH THAT, WE RAN WITH THAT AND, UM, UH, WORKED WITH THE HILTON HEAD TOWN TO HILTON HEAD AND, UH, AND THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION TO GET THE MONEY, TO PURCHASE THESE TROLLEYS.
AND, UH, THEN WENT OUT ON THE MARKET TO SEE WHAT WAS OUT THERE.
AND, UH, WE FELL IN LOVE WITH THE HOMETOWN TROLLEY AND, UH, AND JUST REALLY LOVED THE WAY THIS TROLLEY CAME TOGETHER.
AND, UM, AND, UH, THIS IS OUR FOURTH YEAR RUNNING AND WE HAVE FOUR TROLLEYS AND WE RUN THREE OF THEM AT A TIME.
AND WE'RE SEEING THE RIDERSHIP A REALLY NICE RIDERSHIP THIS YEAR WITH OUR ADDITIONAL ROUTE, THE ROUTE THAT GOES UP ON FALLING.
SO YOU'VE GOT TWO DIFFERENT ROUTES ON HILTON HEAD.
ONE IS A HALF-HOUR ROUTE AND THE OTHER IS AN HOUR OUT.
THE OTHER ONE THAT TAKES AN HOUR TO COMPLETE THE ROUTE, BUT THE TROLLEY COMES EVERY HALF HOUR BECAUSE THERE'S TWO TROLLEYS ON THAT ROUTE.
SO ON ANY PART OF THE SYSTEM SURFACES EVERY 30 MINUTES.
AND THESE ARE, AS YOU SAID, REALLY NICE COACH'S TROLLEYS.
AND, UM, JUST TO GIVE OUR VIEWERS AN IDEA, UM, IT'S ALL WOOD INLAID AND, UM, UH, HOW MANY DOES IT SEE ABOUT 25 PEOPLE? THAT'S GREAT.
AND, UM, IT'S AIR CONDITIONED.
AS I SAID, I READ SOMEWHERE THAT THERE MAY EVEN BE WIFI SERVICE ON HERE.
UM, THERE IS WIFI ON ALL THE BUSES AND SO, UH, NO PASSWORD NEEDED AND YOU CAN GET RIGHT ON YOUR WIFI IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE BIKE RACKS.
SO IF YOU RENTED A BICYCLE AND IT'S REALLY HOT OUT, WHICH HAPPENED TO ME WHEN I RENTED A BICYCLE, BECAUSE IT GETS ON AND YOU CAN GET ON THE TROLLEY AND PUT YOUR BIKE ON.
AND YEAH, I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED AS I CAME UP TO, UH, THE TROLLEY FROM THE PRIOR HALF HOUR AND SAW THE DRIVER, HELPING SOMEBODY PUT THEIR BIKE ON THE FRONT RACK THERE.
AND, UH, I THOUGHT THAT WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, SERVICE ABOVE AND BEYOND.
I THINK THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE IS SERVICE ABOVE AND BEYOND.
WE'VE WORKED HARD TO MAKE THIS A VERY PREMIUM SERVICE AND THE DRIVERS HAVE GONE THROUGH AMBASSADOR TRAINING AND THE DRIVERS THAT ARE DRIVING FOR US ON THE TROLLEY, REALLY EXEMPLIFY CUSTOMER SERVICE AND BEING FRIENDLY AND JUST DO IT, HELPING PEOPLE GET AROUND HILTON HEAD.
WE PICKED UP THIS PARTICULAR TROLLEY AT SHELTER CODE AND, UM, WHERE CAN I ANTICIPATE, I FEEL LIKE I'M BEING SHANGHAIED HERE.
WHERE CAN I ANTICIPATE GOING WELL, THIS IS THE MID ISLAND DROUGHT, AND IT GOES TO THE WESTERN.
AND, UM, IT ALSO HAS, IT GOES UP FOLLY FIELD ROAD.
IT SERVES UP PROBABLY SEVERAL THOUSAND DIFFERENT VILLAS
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AND, AND, UH, TIMESHARES AND RESIDENTS, UH, UH, PLACES.AND IN THAT WAY, UH, WE BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO PLAY A VERY INTEGRAL PART IN GETTING CARS OFF THE ROAD.
AND WE NOTICED A LOT IN, AT THE WESTERN THAT PEOPLE ARE COMING RIGHT OUT AND GETTING ON TO GO TO SHELTER COVE TO GO TO THE RESTAURANTS.
AND SO THAT'S FOR EACH COUPLE THAT GETS ON, OR EACH PERSON THAT GETS ON THAT'S ONE MORE CAR THAT IS NOT OUT ON THE ALREADY OVERCROWDED, UH, SUMMER, UH, TRAFFIC.
YOU TALKED ABOUT THE AMBASSADOR SERVICE THAT YOU, UH, INSTILL IN YOUR DRIVERS.
AND, UH, AS I UNDERSTAND ANYBODY THAT ASKS A DRIVER, HE'S MORE THAN HAPPY TO GIVE SUGGESTIONS FOR PLACES TO EAT OR PLACES TO SHOP, RIGHT? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
AND, UM, THERE ALSO HELP IF THERE'S A WHEELCHAIR PASSENGER OR, OR AN ELDERLY PASSENGER, OR AS YOU SAID, HELP WITH GETTING THE BICYCLES ON AND OFF THERE, THEY'RE HERE TO HELP EVERYBODY ENJOY THE RIDE.
THAT'S REALLY KIND OF A NEAT FEATURE OF THIS TROLLEY.
UH, YOU MENTIONED BEFORE WE STARTED FILMING THAT THE, UH, UNIT CAN ACTUALLY KNEEL DOWN AND THEN IF, UH, THE PERSON IS STILL UNABLE TO, UH, GET ON, UH, AT THAT POINT, THEN A RAMP WILL EXTEND OUT.
SO YOU CAN ACCOMMODATE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN WHEELCHAIRS, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND, UM, SOMEONE WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE TO BE IN A WHEELCHAIR IF THEY JUST HAVE TROUBLE LIFTING THEIR LEGS UP, OR, YOU KNOW, JUST AREN'T VERY MOBILE.
WE CAN PUT, THEY CAN REQUEST THE RAMP, WE'LL PUT IT RIGHT OUT AND IT MAKES IT VERY MUCH EASIER TO GET ON THE TROLLEY.
SO THIS IS GOING ON A CIRCULAR ROUTE THAT RUNS 30 MINUTES, THIS PARTICULAR BUS.
AND, UM, I SEE WE'RE PASSING A NUMBER OF CONDOMINIUMS. IF I WANTED TO SAY STOP AT THE CONDOMINIUM UP HERE AT THE CORNER, WOULD I JUST PULL THE, UH, THE LITTLE RIPCORD HERE? IF YOU PULL THE CORD, THE DRIVER WILL STOP AT THE NEXT STOP THAT HAS A SIGN.
AND THEN IF YOU ALSO MENTIONED, UH, IF THERE IS A OPPORTUNITY FOR A RIGHT LANE WHERE HE CAN PULL OVER, SOMEBODY CAN ACTUALLY FLAG THE TROLLEY DOWN, RIGHT.
AND THE RIGHT TURN LANE IS PARTICULARLY ON WILLIAM HELTON, THE 2 78.
IT'S JUST A, TRAFFIC'S MOVING TOO FAST TO STOP IN THE TWO LANES.
BUT IF THERE'S A RIGHT TURN LANE, FOLKS CAN FLAG THE TROLLEY DOWN ON OR BE DROPPED OFF ON THIS ROAD, WHICH ISN'T SO BUSY.
IF SOMEONE DID WANT TO FLAG THE TROLLEY, THE DRIVER WILL STOP FOR THEM.
NOW, NORMALLY THERE WOULD BE A CHARGE FOR THIS, BUT LAST YEAR WE HAD THIS LITTLE THING CALLED A PANDEMIC AND A PART OF THE PANDEMIC OUTPOURING INCLUDED THE CARES ACT.
AND YOU WERE ABLE TO GET SOME FUNDS THAT ARE UNDERWRITING THE, UH, CHARLIE SYSTEM FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, WE WERE ABLE TO GET, UH, FUNDS THAT DIDN'T NEED TO BE MATCHED.
AND NORMALLY WE CHARGE THE FAIR TO HELP, UH, MAKE THE GRANT, UH, ABLE TO PAY FOR ALL OF THE SERVICES.
AND SO WITH THE CARES ACT FUNDING, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO OFFER THIS SERVICE, UH, AT, AND THEN THE YEAR BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY HAD SOME FUNDING FROM THE TOWN.
THE TOWN OF HILTON HAD A PREPAID, ALL THE THAT'S GREAT.
SO, UH, SO FAR FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, NOBODY'S HAD TO PAY ANYTHING FOR THE TROLLEY SERVICE HERE.
AND, UH, MAYBE THEY'LL STEP UP AGAIN NEXT YEAR, BUT, UH, NORMALLY IF THEY WOULDN'T HAVE, UNDERWRITED IT, WHAT WOULD IT COST TO TAKE THE TROLLEY? IT WAS A DOLLAR A RIDE, VERY, VERY MINIMAL ANYWAY.
SO THAT'S NOT MUCH, AND THAT'S A GREAT SERVICE THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING.
SOMEBODY HAS JUST GOTTEN ON HERE AND, UM, THEY'RE GETTING ALL SETTLED IN.
UM, NOW YOU AND I, BECAUSE WE'RE ON CAMERA AND, UH, I SPEAK FOR MYSELF.
I'VE BEEN VACCINATED, UH, WE'RE NOT WEARING MASKS, BUT NORMALLY WE WOULD BE REQUIRED TO WEAR MASKS ON HILTON AND YOU'RE REQUIRED TO WEAR MATHS AND ALL OF THE TRANSIT VEHICLES.
AND THAT IS, UH, A FEDERAL REQUIREMENT.
AND ALL OF OUR BUSES HAVE MASKS AVAILABLE IN THE TROLLEYS, HAVE HAND SANITIZER AS WELL.
AND SO YOU ARE REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK ON THE TROLLEY.
NO, I WON'T TELL ANYBODY IF YOU DON'T, WE'LL BE OKAY.
SO IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT THIS IS ONLY ONE OF A MYRIAD OF SERVICES THAT FALL UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THE OLD LOW COUNTRY, REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY.
YOU ALSO HAVE THE QUOTE UNQUOTE PALMETTO BREEZE, WHICH ALLOWS VARIOUS WORKERS TO GO BACK AND FORTH, UH, FROM WHAT YOU TELL ME, UH, ABOUT WHERE YOUR VARIOUS STOPS ARE.
WE HAVE SEVEN ROUTES AND THEY GO OUT INTO FIVE COUNTIES AND WE GO AS FAR NORTH AS WALTERBORO, WE, UH, GO TO ALLENDALE AND WE ARE IN HAMPTON COUNTY.
AND AS THE BUSES COME IN, THEY GO
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THROUGH JASPER COUNTY, HARDY VILLE, UM, ON ONE 70.AND, UH, WE BOTH PICK UP AND DROP OFF FOLKS COMING FROM THOSE COUNTIES TO JOBS AND, AND JOBS IN BLUFFTON JOBS AND HILTON HEAD JOBS ALONG ONE 70, JUST WHEREVER PEOPLE NEED TO GO.
AND IF SOMEBODY CALLS US AND SAYS, HEY, I WANT TO USE YOUR BUS AND DO YOU STOP HERE? AND IT'S SOMEWHERE THAT CAUSE CLOSE TO WHERE WE GO.
WE WILL ACTUALLY ADJUST THE ROUTE SO THAT WE CAN GET PEOPLE TO WORK AND WE MAKE IT WORK.
IF SOMEONE NEEDS OUR BUSES TO GO TO WORK, WE FIGURE OUT, UM, IF WE CAN HELP THEM OUT.
I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE ON YOUR SCHEDULE, THAT YOU START AS EARLY AS FOUR 30 IN THE MORNING, UH, OUT ON, UM, UH, UH, ST.
AND THAT YOU WILL GO AS LATE AS SEVEN 30 IN THE EVENING, IF NOT LATER, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND THE DRIVERS, A FIRE, THEIR BUSES UP AT ABOUT 4:00 AM AND THEY BEGIN PICKING PEOPLE UP AND THEY ARE IN BLUFFTON AT OUR FACILITY AT AROUND SIX 30 QUARTER TO SEVEN.
AND THEY HAVE EVERYONE TO THEIR JOBS, UM, BY ABOUT SEVEN 30 EVERY MORNING AT THE LATEST.
AND NOW THOSE BUSES ARE NOT TROLLEYS.
THEY ARE MORE, UM, THEY'RE NOT THE BIG OLD COACHES THAT I REMEMBER FROM THE OLD LRBA DAYS.
ARE THEY THE BIG OLD COACHES? OKAY.
THEN I HAVEN'T SEEN THEM, BUT I'VE SEEN A LOT OF PALMETTO BREEZE, LIKE MANY BUSES OUT AND ABOUT.
SO YOU STILL DO HAVE THE LARGE COACH.
WE DO, UH, THOSE ARE MCI BUSES.
WE JUST GOT THREE NEW ONES LAST FALL, THEY SEE 49 PEOPLE.
THEY'RE THE SIMILAR TO A GREYHOUND BUS.
THEY'RE VERY COMFORTABLE FOR COMMUTERS AND A, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING ARE ALL OF OUR CUTAWAY FLEET.
AND WITH THOSE, WE DO HAVE A DEMAND RESPONSE SERVICE IN BUFORD.
AND WE ALSO DO WHAT WE CALL COORDINATED TRANSPORTATION, BUT FOLKS NEED A RIDE SOMEWHERE.
THEY, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THEY CALL OUR OFFICE AND SEE IF WE, WE HAVE A BUS OUT AT THAT TIME AND LOCATION, WE CAN FIT YOU INTO OUR SCHEDULE.
YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE, UH, UBER AND LYFT A RUN FOR THEIR MONEY.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
AND, UH, NOW WE'RE AT THE WESTERN AND, UM, YOU'LL DO WE STAY HERE FOR A MINUTE OR TWO I'LL, UH, PEOPLE, UH, IT DEPENDS ON THE SCHEDULE AND THERE WAS NO ONE TO GET ON HER OFF AND THAT HE, UH, YEAH, HE, HE, UH, IT WAS ONLY A TWO MINUTE PAUSE HERE, I THINK.
AND I THINK WE USE THAT TWO MINUTES UP AND NOW WE'RE HEADING BACK FROM ONCE WE CAME, GOING BACK TO A SHELTER, THE SHELTER COVE AREA THERE, AND I, I REALLY WASN'T PAYING ATTENTION WHAT WE PASSED ALONG THE WAY THAT MIGHT BE OF INTEREST TO, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME TOURISTS HERE, BUT, UM, GIVE ME SOME POINTS OF INTEREST THAT, UH, WELL, I WOULD SAY WHEN YOU COME UP THIS ROUTE BECAUSE OF THE BEAUTIFUL VEGETATION AND ALL OF THE SCENERY THAT YOU SEE, UH, WHEN IT'S DIFFERENT THINGS ARE FLOWERING, IT'S BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS AND TREES.
IT REALLY IS A VACATION PARADISE.
I THINK, UH, LOOKING AT ALEC HE'S FREAKING OUT BECAUSE OF THE CHANGE IN LIGHT THAT OCCURS FROM THE DARK, UH, OVER ABUNDANCE OF NICE FLORA AND, AND, UH, WHATNOT TO THE POINT WHERE WE GET BACK OUT ON 2 78, AND IT'S ALL BRIGHT.
BUT, UM, UH, THIS IS JUST AN AMAZING, AMAZING, UH, EVENT.
AND PART OF YOUR PLANNING INCLUDED A, A STUDY THAT YOU DID BACK IN 2020, UH, AND YOU USED SOME, UH, LOCAL TALENT TO, UH, GIVE SOME INPUT TO YOUR PLAN, UH, INCLUDING, UH, JOHN RAINBOLT, UH, WHO WAS THE DIRECTOR OF THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY? WHAT WAS HIS INVOLVEMENT IN YOUR MASTER PLAN GOING FORWARD? I THINK WE DREW IN ALL OF THE DIFFERENT TRANSPORTATION MODES JUST TO SEE HOW WE COULD INTERFACE.
AND I THINK AS THE AIRPORT CONTINUES TO BRING IN MORE PEOPLE WITH THE EXTENDED RUNWAY AND THE ADDITIONAL AIR AIRLINES FLYING IN THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE THERE'S GONNA COME A TIME THAT WE ARE SERVING THE AIRPORT WITH, WITH OUR TRANSIT BUSES.
NO, WE'RE NOT, BUT I CAN SEE THAT THERE WILL BE A TIME THAT SOMEBODY COULD FLY INTO HILTON HEAD, GET ON A BUS OR A TROLLEY GO TO WHERE THEY'RE GOING AND NEVER HAVE TO RENT A CAR.
SO THE OTHER THING THAT FALLS UNDER YOUR PURVIEW IS, AND I LOVE THE STORY YOU TOLD ABOUT HOW YOU CAME UP WITH THE NAME, THE EASY BREEZE, TELL US ABOUT THAT.
WE HAVE AN ADA PARATRANSIT SERVICE AND, UH, AND WE WANTED A DISTINCT NAME FOR IT, BUT IT HAD TO FIT IN WITH THE BREEZE.
AND, UH, MY MARKETING PERSON, I WORKED WERE DEBATING WHAT WAS A GOOD NAME FOR IT.
AND I HAPPENED TO BE RIDING BEHIND THE VEHICLE AND I LOOKED UP AND I SAID, THERE IT IS EASY BREEZE BECAUSE BREEZE HAS IT'S RIGHT IN
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THE NAME.AND, UH, IT WAS JUST A LIGHT WENT OFF.
AND, UH, SO THAT'S CALLED EASY BREEZE.
AND THAT ACCOMMODATES PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES THAT NEED RIDES TO DOCTORS IN THE LIGHT IT'S RODS TO ANYWHERE REALLY.
AND THE BIG THING IS IF THEY CAN'T, UH, UTILIZE THIS PARTICULAR BUS, FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY WOULD FILL OUT AN APPLICATION AND IT GETS SIGNED OFF ON BY A DOCTOR, AND THEN THEY BECOME A CUSTOMER.
AND WE, BECAUSE THIS IS FREE, THAT'S GREAT.
SO WE PICK THEM UP AND THEY CAN GO GROCERY SHOPPING.
THEY CAN GO TO THE DOCTOR THAT THEY CAN GO VISIT A FRIEND.
WE DON'T REALLY ASK WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
AND YOU HISTORICALLY HAD BEEN GETTING RURAL GRANTS, BUT SOMETHING HAPPENED IN THE NOT TOO RECENT PAST, UH, THAT ALLOWED YOU TO GET SOME URBAN GRANTS.
SO THIS, IT ALL STARTED WITH THE CENSUS IN 2010 AND, UH, ONCE THE CENSUS CAME OUT, UH, THE HILTON HAD BLOCKED AN AREA WAS DEEMED A SMALL URBANIZED AREA.
SO THERE WERE A LOT OF STEPS TO US GETTING OUR FIRST FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION URBANIZED AREA GRANT, WHICH WE GOT IN 2017, BUT THEY HAD TO FORM AN MPO, A METRIC POLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION WITH ALL OF THE LOCAL LEADERS.
UH, WE HAD TO DO A LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
AND SO THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK THAT WENT IN AHEAD OF TIME.
AND, UH, LRTS HAD TO DO A LOT OF WORK AS FAR AS, UM, SHOWING THAT WE HAD DIFFERENT PLANS AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT WERE REQUIRED TO BECOME A FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION GRANT.
YOU FALL UNDER A LARGER UMBRELLA OF THE LOW COUNTRY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS.
AND, UM, I LOOKED AND SAW THAT THERE'S PROBABLY 20, AT LEAST 20 ADVISORS THAT MAKE UP THAT AREA AND PROBABLY GAVE SOME INPUT INTO ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WERE NECESSARY.
THE L COBB ACTS AS OUR PLANNING ARM, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY TRANSIT PLANNERS OR PLANNING DEPARTMENT AT, AT LRT.
AND SO THE, THE LOW COUNTRY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, UH, THEY DO ALL OUR PLANNING WORK FOR US.
AND SO YES, THEY HAVE BEEN, UH, VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN, IN THE PLANNING NEEDS, RIGHT? SO THIS IS WHERE WE ARE NOW.
AND WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT EXPANDING INTO BLUFFTON.
UM, BLUFFTON IS PART OF THE URBANIZED AREA AS WELL.
AND WE DEVELOPED A, A ROUTE, UH, THAT TWO ROUTES THAT ARE GOING TO START JULY 1ST.
AND THE FOCUS OF THOSE ROUTES WAS REALLY CONNECTING PEOPLE FROM THE APARTMENTS AND HIGH DENSITY, RESIDENTIAL AREAS TO ALL THE JOB SITES AND BLOCKED IT.
SO THOSE ROUTES WILL SERVE THE BLUFFTON PARKWAY, THE SAM'S AND WALMART, UM, THE MEDICAL BUILDING ON BUCK ISLAND, UM, OUT BUCK WALTER, THE REGIONAL PARK THERE, UH, THE NEW WASHINGTON SQUARE, UH, BERKELEY PLACE.
UH, AND WE'LL ALSO GO TO THE VINEYARD, WHICH IS A ASSISTED LIVING AT THE VERY END.
AND THAT'S OUR TURNAROUND AND WE'LL COME BACK.
DOES IT GO AS FAR AS SUN CITY? IT DOES NOT.
IS THAT, I DON'T KNOW, I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH SUN CITY AND, UM, IT'S NOT PROBABLY IN THE NEAR FUTURE, BUT I THINK THAT ANY TIME THAT WE CAN GET PEOPLE INTO TRANSIT VEHICLES AND OUT OF CARS AND, UH, IT'S SOMETHING WE WANT TO BE DOING.
SO OTHER METROPOLITAN AREAS, AND IT'S SO FUNNY, YOU KNOW, FIRST TIME THAT I MOVED HERE WAS IN 1983 AND TO CALL IT A METROPOLITAN AREA NOW JUST BLOWS MY MIND, BUT LOOKING AT THE TRAFFIC, IT CERTAINLY IS, UM, OTHER METROPOLITAN AREAS HAVE TYPICALLY A PARK AND RIDE SITUATION.
YOU'VE GOT SOME OF THAT IN YOUR SYSTEM, OFFICIAL PARK AND RIDES.
AND THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE THINGS IN OUR, UM, FUTURE PLANS THAT WE WOULD LIKE IS WE WOULD LIKE A PARK AND RIDE IN BLUFFTON SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO 2 78.
AND A PART OF OUR FUTURE PLANS WOULD BE TO HAVE A CONNECTOR BUS THAT GOES OVER THE BRIDGE AND BRINGS PEOPLE TO HELTON HEAD AND CONNECTS WITH WHAT WE CALL IT A FLEX ROUTE, BUT, BUT MORE OF AN ON DEMAND SERVICE OVER HERE.
SO WE CAN, UH, LESSEN THE TRAFFIC ON THAT BRIDGE AS WELL.
AND THAT IS REALLY THE FUTURE.
AND, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T HELP, BUT TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THIS, WHAT WE REALLY NEED IN THIS AREA TO HAVE A ROBUST TRANSIT SYSTEM AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE CAN ENVISION.
WE NEED SOME SORT OF A SOURCE OF FUNDING.
THAT'S A TRANSPORTATION FUND THAT ALLOWS US TO APPLY FOR MORE GRANTS BECAUSE ALL THE MONEY WE GET IS, UM, THE GRANTS ALL HAVE TO HAVE MATCHED MONEY.
AND SO WE FOR ABOUT A $4 MILLION BUDGET, WE NEED ABOUT EIGHT OR 900,000.
SO IT'S A GREAT RETURN ON YOUR DOLLAR, BUT IN ORDER TO GROW AND TO REALLY PROVIDE ALL THE SERVICES THAT WE CAN ENVISION, UH, WE NEED TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO, TO HAVE A DEDICATED FUNDING SOURCES.
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IT COULD BE SALES TAX, IT COULD BE PROPERTY TAX.IT COULD BE THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO IT.
UM, AND IT'S JUST, UM, I THINK WE'LL GET TO THAT POINT IN TIME WHERE THE COMMUNITY REALLY WANTS AND DESIRES NEEDS MORE TRANSIT SERVICES.
AND THEN THAT TIME WILL COME, THAT THOSE FUNDS WILL WELL, YOU SEEM TO BE A REAL GO GETTER.
YOU'VE BEEN ONLINE HERE SINCE 2017 AND I'M, UH, BACK UP WELL, WAY BEFORE YOU EVEN WERE PROBABLY EVEN BORN THE LRT, A HAD KIND OF A BAD REPUTATION AND BUFORD COUNTY BACK IN THE 1990S.
AND IT WAS, IT WAS FLOUNDERING AND FINANCIALLY, IT SEEMS TO BE DOING MUCH BETTER.
AND I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN IN TALKS WITH SOME MUNICIPAL AUTHORITIES ABOUT HOW THEY MIGHT INCLUDE YOU IN THEIR, UH, YEARLY FUNDING.
I'D GO AROUND TO ALL OUR FUNDING PARTNERS EVERY YEAR AND, UM, AND SHOW THEM WHAT WE'RE SPENDING AND HOW MUCH OF WHAT PERCENTAGE IS FROM THEIR COUNTY AND ASK FOR THAT LOCAL MATCH EVERY YEAR.
I'VE ALSO PROPOSED THAT PERHAPS THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO A COUNTY WIDE ROAD USE FEE, WHICH WOULD ALLOW THROUGH THE USE OF, UM, PAYING SOME ADDITIONAL ROAD USE TAX WITH YOUR CAR REGISTRATION THAT COULD BE DEDICATED TO AS A TRANSPORTATION FUND.
THEY DO THAT IN THE MYRTLE BEACH AREA.
AND IT WOULD BE A WAY TO HAVE, UH, FUNDS THAT WE KNOW WE CAN PLAN TO USE AND TO HAVE A LONG RANGE PLAN THAT THAT'S FUNDED.
AND THAT REALLY IS THE FUTURE OF GROWING TRANSPORTATION IN THIS.
DO YOU GET ANY MATCHING FUNDS OR ANY ASSISTANCE FROM ANY OF THE HOTELS? WE IN DIFFERENT WAYS, WE DO.
WE GET SOME SPONSORSHIP FROM SOME HOTELS THAT ARE SPONSORING ROUTES, AND THAT GOES A LONG WAY.
AND I KNOW SOME OF THE HOTELS BUY THE TICKETS FOR THE PASSENGERS, WHICH IS GREAT.
DOESN'T REALLY HELP US, BUT IT'S GREAT.
AND ALL THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THAT ARE GETTING TRANSPORTATION SERVICES ARE CONTRIBUTING LOCAL MATCH MONEY TOWARDS THE RUNNING OF THE SERVICE, HAVING JUST FINISHED PAYING MY TAXES.
I KNOW THAT SOUTH CAROLINA ALSO ALLOWS RIGHT AT THE END OF THE, AS YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THE WHOLE THING, YOU CAN THEN DESIGNATE SOME MONIES TO EVERYTHING FROM SOUTH CAROLINA, WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES TO YOU NAME IT.
MAYBE YOU OUGHT TO SEE ABOUT GETTING ON ONE OF THEIR LITTLE CHECKBOXES.
NO, I THOUGHT I HAD THOUGHT OF EVERYTHING, BUT I HAVE NOT THOUGHT OF THAT.
SO I'M GOING TO PUT THAT IN MY, UH, NEW IDEAS FOR FUNDING CATEGORY DEAL AND AS ANY GOOD EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND LOBBYISTS.
YOU'RE PROBABLY ALSO ENGAGING WITH FOLKS UP AT THE STATE CAPITOL IN COLUMBIA, RIGHT.
AND WE'RE REALLY PRETTY SMALL FOR THAT, BUT I DO GO TO STD OT AND THEY KNOW THAT ANY OPPORTUNITY THEY HAVE, UM, FOR FUNDING OR LAPSING FUNDS THAT THEY NEED SOMEBODY TO APPLY FOR THE GRANTS, UM, WHEN THEY OFFER THOSE I'M THE FIRST ONE IN THE DOOR.
AND, UH, WE JUST APPLIED FOR THREE MORE MCI BUSES.
SO WE'RE HOPING TO GET THAT FROM
HOW ABOUT THE, UH, EMPLOYMENT SITUATION HERE? WE WERE TALKING BEFORE WE STARTED TAPING THAT, UM, OFTENTIMES YOU'LL BE AT, UH, EMPLOYEE FAIRS, JOB FAIRS.
UH, TELL US ABOUT YOUR SUCCESS AND CHALLENGES IN GETTING SOME OF THESE AMBASSADOR QUALITY DRIVERS AND OTHER EMPLOYEES.
WELL, I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE ARE NO DIFFERENT THAN ANYONE ELSE IN THIS AREA.
WE STRUGGLED TO GET EMPLOYEES AND WE'RE VERY DISCERNING ABOUT WHO DRIVES THE, THE BUSES AND, AND CAN, UM, INTERACT WITH THE PASSENGERS.
SO WE'RE, IT SEEMS LIKE ALWAYS HIRING AND WE'RE HIRING NOW AND WE'RE HIRING FOR THE BLUFFTON ROUTES AND WE D WE PUT A LOT OF ADS OUT AND WORD OF MOUTH.
AND SO WE, WE HAVE THE SAME STRUGGLES AS EVERYONE ELSE.
I'M CURIOUS, THESE DAYS, WHEN THERE THERE'S SUCH A SPLINTER IN WAYS TO ADVERTISE AND PEOPLE ARE GOING AWAY FROM A PRINTED MEDIUM, WHERE ARE YOU ADVERTISING? MOST OF THESE, WE ADVERTISE EVERYWHERE THAT WE CAN PUT AN AD.
AND WE DO HAVE ACTUALLY A, A QUARTER PAGE AD OUT RIGHT NOW IN PRINT MEDIA.
WE ADVERTISE ON FACEBOOK, INDEED BUILDER, UM, MARKETPLACE PRETTY MUCH EVERYWHERE.
I HAVEN'T PUT SIGNS IN THE BUSES YET, BUT WE ALSO DO A REFERRAL PROGRAM WITH OUR OWN EMPLOYEES, GET INCENTIVES, IF THEY CAN REVERSE UPON THEM.
OH, THAT'S ANOTHER WAY TO MAKE MONEY.
HAVE YOU, UH, PUT BANNERS ON THE SIDE OF BUSES, ALLOWING PEOPLE TO ADVERTISE ON THEIR THAT'S, WHAT WE DO EXCEPT NOT THE TROLLEYS.
AND, UH, WE JUST DON'T WANT TO RUIN IT WITH ADVERTISING ALL OVER IT.
IT IS A BEAUTIFUL TROLLEY AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE'RE BACK AT SHELTER CODE.
SO IF IT'S A HALF HOUR RIDE, THAT MUST BE, WE ARE NEAR THE END OF OUR TAPING.
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LOU, FRIEND-ZONE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BREEZE, UM, WHO IS AN ARM OF THE LOW COUNTRY, REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY.THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR, UH, DELIGHTFUL RIDE.
AND IT'S FREE FOR YOU GUYS, UH, FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR, ANYWAY, COURTESY OF, UM, UH, GRANTS THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND A LITTLE INPUT THE PRIOR YEAR FROM THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD.
AND WE'LL JUST SEE WHERE IT GOES, AND THAT IS OUR SHOW.
AND WE HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US AGAIN FOR ANOTHER EDITION OF COASTLINE ON THE COUNTY CHANNEL NEXT MONTH.
THE COUNTY CHANNEL IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON VIDEO, ON DEMAND, GO TO BUFORD COUNTY, SC.GOV, SCROLL DOWN TO PUBLIC MEETINGS, CLICK WATCH NOW, AND THEN CLICK THE VIDEO ON DEMAND BUTTON AND SELECT YOUR PROGRAM FROM BLISS CALL TO ORDER IF YOU'D LIKE A DVD OF THIS PROGRAM, CLICK ON THE LINK ON THE RIGHT AND FILL OUT THE ORDER FORM.
AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
I'M SARAH ROCK CLERK TO COUNSEL FOR BUFORD COUNTY COUNCIL THAT YOU KNOW, BUFORD COUNTY HAS 29 ACTIVE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS SERVE A VITAL ROLE IN BUFORD COUNTY AND ALLOW CITIZENS LIKE YOU TO GET INVOLVED WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND ADVISE YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS ON A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES.
MEMBERS SERVE IN A VARIETY OF CAPACITIES FROM ADVISING COUNCIL REGARDING THE SELLING AND PURCHASING OF LAND HEARING APPEALS, ALLOCATING TAX MONIES, ADVOCATING FOR SPECIFIC ORGANIZATIONS, WORKING ON STORM WATER RELATED ISSUES, ZONING ISSUES, DESIGN REVIEW, HISTORICAL PRESERVATION, YOU NAME IT.
VISIT WWW DOT BUFORD COUNTY, SC.GOV/COUNCIL/BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS TODAY TO SEE A LIST OF OUR ACTIVE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND FILL OUT AN APPLICATION SIGN UP TODAY.
SO YOU CAN HAVE A HAND IN MAKING OUR COMMUNITY EVEN GREATER THAN IT ALREADY IS.