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Downtown shuttle relaunch delayed due to ongoing pandemic concerns
A DOT stop by Savannah’s Johnson Square. PHOTO BY NICK ROBERTSON
for potential occupants.” According to Brandon’s statement, when the city decides to resume DOT service, there will most likely be initial limitations on the number of passengers allowed to ride each shuttle bus at one time to allow for social distancing. “The service in normal times would transport close to 50,000 people per month, and we want to make sure that it can be operated as safely as possible,” Brandon stated. “As we get into spring we’ll be looking at the appropriate time to restart service.” The DOT shuttle system is primarily
aimed toward providing Savannah visitors with free transportation on one looping line traveling from the historic downtown district to the southern end of Forsyth Park, and on a second line connecting the east and west sides of downtown. In other local public-transit news, CAT announced on Feb. 15 that its Airport Express shuttle service will be suspended beginning on March 8 due to low ridership, citing an average of about 170 passengers using the shuttle each month at a cost of approximately $80 per passenger. The Airport Express provides transportation from downtown Savannah to the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, charging $5 for one-way trips and $8 for round-trip tickets. According to the CAT statement, the service is expected to be suspended for up to a year while staff evaluates ways to improve the route, such as by using a smaller vehicle or altering the route and adding stops. “While we know change can be difficult for some, it is important that we continuously pursue ways to optimize our services to best meet the evolving needs of our customers,” stated CAT interim CEO Valerie Ragland. − Nick Robertson
Savannah Fire Department honors outstanding firefighters of 2020 THE SAVANNAH hard-working FIRE Department is and resourcerecognizing its best ful leader who is and brightest firerelied upon by fighters by honoring his supervisors three employees who for his critical made significant conthinking. tributions through Abrunzo their service and was selected as heroism during 2020, Rookie of the along with several Year because he unit commendations is a self-motifor life-saving acts vated and disciFROM LEFT: Honored firefighters Lucas Abrunzo, Gregory Jacobs, and Ben Spence. carried out by fireplined worker fighting teams in the PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE SAVANNAH FIRE DEPARTMENT who has helped past year. battle major According to a Savannah Fire press With 15 years of dedicated service to the fires since completing the training acadannouncement issued on Feb. 19, Capt. Savannah Fire Department, Jacobs earned emy in June of 2019, including the massive Gregory Jacobs, Engineer Ben Spence, and the Fire Officer of the Year commendaEastern Wharf construction-site blaze. Advanced Firefighter Lucas Abrunzo were tion due to his knowledge and experience These honorees and the firefighters recnamed Fire Officer of the Year, Firefighter enabling his team to handle a high volume ognized by unit commendations will be of the Year, and Rookie Firefighter of the of calls and hazmat incidents, according to presented with awards by Savannah Fire Year, respectively, for 2020. All recognized firefighters serving in his unit. Chief Derik Minard during a ceremony to individuals and units were nominated by Spence, an 18-year Savannah Fire be held on an as-yet-undetermined date. their peers to receive these honors. veteran, is considered by his peers as a − Nick Robertson
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RESUMPTION OF DOWNTOWN Savannah’s free DOT shuttle service is being postponed into springtime due to ongoing concerns about pandemic safety. Since March of 2020, Savannah’s DOT shuttle service has been suspended as a precaution against spreading COVID-19, according to Chatham Area Transit, which operates the DOT system on behalf of Savannah’s municipal government. However, in December signs were posted at DOT shuttle stops announcing that service was expected to resume in March of 2021. Since then, city officials have determined that it is still too early to resume DOT service until additional safety measures can be implemented to help prevent coronavirus transmission aboard the shuttles, according to Savannah Mobility and Parking Services Director Sean Brandon. “The DOT is funded to resume operation, but will only do so when we feel that it’s safe,” Brandon stated, adding that his department has worked closely with local health officials to develop comprehensive operational guidelines for providing shuttle service during the pandemic. “One of those guidelines is to operate the buses with open windows. We could only feasibly do that when the weather is a bit warmer
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