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Health & Fitness

LEADERS SEEK COMMUNITY SUPPORT OF "FLEX BUS" TRANSIT IN SOUTH COBB

Citizen input and ridership is needed for the Flex Bus pilot program to be a success.  A major transportation pilot program will be launched soon in southwest Cobb.  Cobb Community Transit (CCT) will be introducing a “Flex Bus” service covering Mableton, Austell, Smyrna, and Powder Springs.  Bus service in this area was eliminated years ago, but the transportation needs have only intensified.

Transportation is a basic necessity for any community. CCT and leaders of various South Cobb community organizations, including the Mableton Improvement Coalition, the Austell Task Force and others, have collaborated on the need for a bus service in southwest Cobb.  From these discussions, the Flex Bus pilot program has been formulated.  This pilot program will be funded from both local and federal sources, and when the service is in place, our residents will have the ability to travel by bus between Austell and Cumberland.

The final details of the Flex Bus service are being determined, and citizen input is of vital importance to these decisions.  The public will have an opportunity to learn more about this service and help CCT define Flex Bus routes at a meeting 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, July 20 at the Mable House Arts Center, 5239 Floyd Road, Mableton.  This is an opportunity for citizens of southwest Cobb to weigh in on transit needs within our underserved community and to have a voice in the implementation and final design of the Flex Bus service. 

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As presently planned, the Flex Bus service will address our community’s unmet mobility needs by combining the benefits of the traditional fixed route and demand response services. The route will have specified bus stops and will also stop elsewhere when a passenger has made a reservation in advance. CCT is looking to gather the thoughts and ideas of area citizens in identifying bus routes and special pick up points to maximize service utilization.

Having transportation options is greatly significant to an improved quality of life in southwest Cobb.  High quality transit fosters livable communities and contributes to better community development and improved economic opportunities.   Whether you have an automobile or not, you have an interest in the Flex Bus service proposed for our area.  Flex Bus service promises benefits to families, seniors, students, workers and employers who desire and need quality transit.

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Community leaders have been meeting and sharing ideas on how to best get the word out on the proposed Flex Bus service.  CCT has hosted several community meetings on this project over the past several weeks throughout southwest Cobb.  The July 20th meeting is important.  Please come out and make your voice heard.  We are counting on our residents to participate in this essential policy matter.    Citizen input is needed for this pilot program to be a success.

Please plan to be present for this meeting on Saturday, July 20 at 10:00 a.m. at the Mable House.   If you are unable to attend the meeting but would like to have input on this matter, please call 770-427-4444 or visit CCT’s website for more information:  www.cobbcct.org

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