Consultant outlines Northern Beaufort transit master plan, highlights microtransit, cost tradeoffs and October adoption timeline

Rachel Hatcher, senior principal planner with RS and H, presented the Northern Beaufort Transit Master Plan to the Buford County Northern Regional Plan Implementation Committee on June 27, outlining service options, draft performance metrics and a timetable for final recommendations.

Hatcher said the study — now moving from schematic scenarios into testable alternatives — is driven by public and stakeholder input and the region’s recent designation as an urbanized area by the U.S. Census Bureau. "Once you become an urbanized area, it opens up your opportunities for new funding types," Hatcher said, noting the need to work with the Federal Transit Administration and the Department of Transportation while meeting local-match obligations.

The consultant described three broad service models: fixed-route service on major corridors; a downtown circulator for dense areas; and microtransit, an app-based shared-ride service intended for lower-density neighborhoods. "Microtransit services are much like Uber or Lyft — it’s just the public-transportation version of that," she said, and stressed that microtransit offers broader geographic coverage but can be costlier per rider than fixed-route options.

Hatcher presented planning-level metrics for the draft scenarios. One in-town alignment showed roughly 25,300 annual trips and about 16,200 people living within three-quarters of a mile of the route, requiring up to five peak vehicles operating on 30–60 minute peak headways. She said a suburban microtransit scheme serving low-density zones could require fewer fixed stops but has higher operating costs; the team estimated roughly $1,350,000 per year in operating cost for a microtransit plan versus an operating estimate under $1,000,000 for a comparable fixed-route alternative. Hatcher cautioned these were planning numbers and subject to refinement during the financial-analysis phase.

Committee members asked specific operational questions. The presenter said existing commuter shuttles would remain in service and that new local routes should be coordinated with those schedules and park-and-ride sites. When asked about potential park-and-ride sites, Honey Island State Park was raised as an example; Hatcher said site selection will be refined once a preferred alternative is identified.

On fares, Brian Sullivan, executive director of the regional transportation authority, noted the board’s current urban fixed-route fare is $1 per trip and that the authority offers weekly and monthly passes. He said capital dollars are often easier to secure than operating funds and described timing challenges because partners have different budget cycles; the authority expects clearer federal appropriations near the start of the federal fiscal year and plans to request operating funds in a later fiscal year once costs and match obligations are better defined.

Hatcher also warned about mixing transit and school bus operations, citing a Federal Transit Administration finding in another state where combining services created compliance problems. "We would be remiss if we did not at least reflect on how we connect," she said, adding the team has intentionally mapped routes to serve schools while avoiding FTA rule violations.

Next steps: Hatcher said the team is finalizing draft service recommendations with stakeholder input and expects to identify a preferred alternative within about four weeks, with a final plan presented for adoption in October. She described an ongoing public-engagement program — including fact sheets, in-person events and a community "emissary" team of roughly 25 volunteers — to gather additional feedback.

The committee approved the May 23 minutes by voice vote earlier in the meeting and later moved to adjourn.