Seneca Mayor Discusses Public Transportation In Oconee County On The Coffee Time Program

(Seneca, SC)—Tuesday night, Oconee County Council passed unanimously an action item in regards to matching funds not to exceed $300,000 to the city of Seneca for the Oconee County Electric Bus Expansion Project Grant for two new 35 foot Proterra Buses. 

As 94.1 The Lake reported yesterday, there was much discussion during Tuesday night’s meeting concerning public transportation in Oconee County between those who support public transportation and those who questioned not only the cost but ridership numbers and the size of the buses used. 

Seneca Mayor Dan Alexander was a guest on the Coffee Time program yesterday and commented on the questions raised concerning the costs as well as why additional buses are needed considering those additional questions about public transportation ridership. 

”I think it is important, like you say, to make sure people realize who is riding and how many are riding,” says Mayor Alexander. “So we do know in Seneca there is 174,000. It’s kept up with. When we apply for grants, they have to be a need for it.“ 

The Mayor said that when the county was looking towards an Oconee campus of Tri-County Technical College, they wanted the buses to go there. The Mayor said that the city of Seneca is the transit authority for Oconee County, with the service already established, so it more cost effective in regards to the partnership between the county and the city. 

“There’s areas right outside of Seneca that people have been wanting public transportation for a long time but there is no way for us to do that without additional buses to adjust the route,” according to Mayor Alexander. 

Mayor Alexander said that there will be pubic hearings and there were two public hearings last year. The Mayor encourages the public to attend those upcoming hearings.