Athens Transit Feasibility Study

The Athens Transit System (ATS) serves the population of Athens-Clarke County and coordinates service with the University of Georgia (UGA) transit system, which serves 35,000 students, faculty, and staff. RS&H initiated the Feasibility Study with goals and objectives that included identifying inefficiencies or duplication of services, with a particular focus on the UGA transit system; developing comprehensive service options by analyzing riders’ behaviors and preferences; and defining technological advancements to ensure the system maintains its leadership role in the transit community.

RS&H also analyzed comprehensive consolidation of services for UGA and ATS; however, it was determined that current conditions do not support this endeavor. The team identified areas of service duplication between these providers, with recommendations focused on route-specific consolidation efforts.

RS&H’s effort also included extensive coordination with multiple stakeholder organizations, elected community leaders, and university administrators; a robust and comprehensive public involvement eff ort; and the development of recommendations to increase operational efficiency of the system, branding and marketing strategies, and the use of technology to enhance the user experience.

The recommendations derived from this study are currently being utilized to establish the ATS cost-constrained Transit Development Plan work program, where a suite of local, regional, state, and federal funding strategies will ensure successful implementation.