Transportation
Summary
Transportation alone cannot reduce poverty, but it serves a crucial complementary role; it is a means to an end. Access to transportation reduces absolute poverty mainly by increasing economic efficiency by lowering costs and prices and thus enhancing opportunity.
Low income people often do not own cars and are therefore constrained to live in urban zones with good access to public transportation. Over 5,000 (30%) of Savannah’s center city residents do not own a vehicle. 56% of Savannah bus riders have annual incomes of less than $10,000. The industrial and employment growth patterns for Chatham County increase dependence on transportation from residence to work site. Over 50% of all job growth will occur in the west of Chatham County in the next decade. Hence transportation issues is critical barrier to self sufficiency for Savannah residents.
Policy Agenda
- Develop new authorizing legislation giving Chatham Area Transit (CAT) county-wide operating and taxing authority (stop the opting out of jurisdictions) and change mission (see next item)
- Make CAT a Mobility Authority to provide administrative support for a variety of mobility programs (more than fixed-route bus service) such as rideshare services, employer incentive programs, transportation broker and other innovative programs.
Key Results
- Convinced CAT to reexamine transfer policy which charges a full fare for each transfer
- Facilitated taxi drivers/city to 20% voucher plan for low income residents
- County steps up to provide transportation to and from the work sites for Step Up’s Construction Apprentice Program
Contacts
Champions
Tom Thomson
Director of Metropolitan Planning Commission
912-651-1446
thomsont@thempc.org
Lee Grimes
Director of Research & Established Businesses
Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA)
(912) 447-8450
lgrimes@seda.org
Team Member Organizations
Metropolitan Planning Department, Team Vaden, Armstrong Atlantic State University, AirTran, Chatham Area Transit Authority, J.C. Lewis Motor Company, Hunter, Maclean, Exley & Dunn, Coastal GA RDC/AAA, City of Savannah, Savannah Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Elizabeth Loyd Associates, Savannah Airport Commission, Fuji Vegetable Oil, Inc., Weyerhaeuser, Flight Safety International, Chatham-Savannah Authority for the Homeless.
