Garrett Transit resumes Oakland shuttle, reports 39 out‑of‑county medical trips since February

A Garrett Transit representative told Garrett County Commissioners that, with the commissioners’ support, Garrett Transit and Community Action have since February provided 39 out‑of‑county trips to Morgantown and Cumberland for medical appointments and have restarted the Oakland shuttle service as of May 1.

The transit update said the Oakland shuttle follows routes through apartment complexes and stops at retail locations including Shop ‘n Save and Walmart, and that the service previously ran in the early 2000s (Monday through Saturday). The representative said restoring the shuttle will free vehicle capacity so the agency can provide more out‑of‑area trips.

“If this pans out, we’re really hoping to expand the services to where we could work with people from Grantsville that need to get to Oakland one or two days a week or people from Accident or Friendsville,” the representative said. The agency said schedules are booked and that bringing back the shuttle aims to meet competing priorities while creating capacity to serve other communities.

The representatives thanked the commissioners for their prior support and distributed schedules at the meeting. No formal action or vote was recorded; the item was presented as an update.

Background: The transit representative said earlier plans to cut out‑of‑county travel were reversed after the commissioners’ support, allowing the agency to transport residents to medical appointments in nearby regional centers. The representative indicated continued interest in expanding connections between Grantsville, Accident, Friendsville and Oakland if ridership and scheduling permit.