PDRTA: Ridership more than doubled in four years; county transit study, new buses and app billed as workforce supports

Don Strickland, representing the Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority, told Florence County Council that the agency is seeing rapid growth and is prioritizing workforce-focused service changes. “This past month, we had 39,000 passenger trips in 1 month and about 22,000 of those trips were going to and from work,” Strickland said, noting that roughly 60% of riders use the service for commuting. He said Florence County ridership had climbed about 112% since FY21 and the system is approaching 500,000 annual trips.

Strickland outlined near-term investments to support that growth: four new buses that arrived last week, a new CAD/AVL passenger-facing app so riders can track vehicles, and the authority’s first comprehensive transit study and a regional coordination plan. Council members asked about shelter and capital funding; Strickland said typical federal participation for capital projects is about 80% and buses receive about 85% federal support, and pointed to nearby Hartsville projects that will add shelters.

Council members praised the ridership gains and noted potential broader benefits for roads and workforce access. The presentation did not include a formal vote but set the stage for future council conversations about local partnerships and potential support for expanded demand-response and microtransit options.

The county administrator and council indicated they would review PDRTA materials and follow up in subsequent meetings or committee work if policy or funding action is needed.