Columbia County committee approves resolution to pursue $200,000 Chatham–Hudson pilot transit route

The Columbia County Transportation Committee voted to develop a resolution to accept state funding and prepare to launch a pilot bus route between Chatham and Hudson, the committee heard at a March discussion on the Chatham–Hudson route.

Michael Shamidas, chair of the Transportation Committee, said the county’s legislators had “secured, $200,000 in funding to establish this new route between Chatham and Hudson,” and that the money is structured as a reimbursement through the state Department of Transportation.

The pilot would run two days a week during a mid‑day window (roughly 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and follow a looped schedule that begins at Depot Square in Chatham, serves shopping and service points on Warren Street and in Ghent, continues to Hudson stops including DSS and Walmart, then returns to Chatham. The committee and vendors described the service as a short loop repeated until early afternoon so riders could make mid‑day trips and return the same day.

Why it matters: Committee members stressed the route targets seniors, Department of Social Services clients…