THOMASVILLE, Ga. (WTXL) — Thomas County is turning over its transit system to Resource Management Systems while service continues under the Southwest Georgia Regional Commission.
- Thomas County will no longer manage day-to-day transit operations, handing them over to private contractor Resource Management Systems.
- The Southwest Georgia Regional Commission will continue overseeing federal and state grants, ensuring funding and compliance.
- Watch the video to see what this means to riders.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Thomas County was the only county in southwest Georgia running its own transit system—until now.
I'm taking a closer look at what joining the 14-county regional program means for local service.
In rural Thomas County, options to get around are already limited.
Many neighbors who don't drive depend on the Southwest Georgia Regional Commission's transit program especially seniors, people with disabilities, and families without reliable cars.
" So Southwest Georgia Regional Commission has been providing transit services for several several different contracts through the state since about the year 2000," said Suzanne Angell, Executive Director SWGRC.
Suzanne Angell tells me the program covers 14 counties across southwest Georgia with 91 vehicles in rotation.
Last year alone, the system gave nearly 240,000 rides, with about44,000 trips in Thomas County.
Services include:
- Public transportation for anyone who needs it
- Human services rides for seniors, people with disabilities, and families
- Medical transportation under Medicaid and Medicare
- Work-related trips under private employment contracts
For more than 17 years, Thomas County was the only county running its own transit program directly.
The county handled the operations and costs, while the SWGRC handled state and federal grant funding.
But now, that structure is changing.
"The county commission determined that it wasn't financially in our benefit to continue to do that since the revenues the revenues have not been increasing and our cost of operations have been going up. So we consulted with the regional commission and they agreed that they would take the grants back and they would reassign those grants so that's what's taking place is they're reassigning the grants and issuing new contracts and those are going to RMS as the private contractor that will be providing the service," said Michael Stephenson, said County manager.
Even though the Southwest Georgia Regional Commission handles the grants, the county was running the day-to-day: hiring drivers, maintaining vehicles, scheduling trips, and covering fuel.
This year, that cost nearly $200,000, and with funding frozen for over a decade, it wasn't sustainable.
Now, a private company, Resource Management Systems, will run the system, while the commission still oversees the grants.
Stephenson say it'll be more efficient but for riders, the service will look almost the same.
Rides inside the county cost $3 while Seniors over 65 and frequent riders get half off.
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