At least two companies are jockeying for position in the race to serve Fayette and Coweta residents with mass transit.

Stuart Hoff, owner of Phoenix Star Transportation Services, this week announced plans to crank up a shuttle service from Peachtree City to Hartsfield International Airport June 1, serving mainly airport employees.

He said he also hopes to add Fayetteville stops to the shuttle service, and to establish a county-wide bus service in Fayette and employee shuttles to Peachtree City industries by January 2000. He is working to establish Coweta County service in the near future as well, Hoff said.

But Eric Zinck, who owns Peachtree City Limo Inc. along with his mother, Irene, says he has been working with local, state and federal officials for two years to establish a complete line of public transportation services for Fayette, and only one company is going to be allowed to provide that service.

Peachtree City Limo also hopes to inaugurate county-wide service by Jan. 1, said Zinck. The company has provided limousine and taxi service in Fayette for ten years, he added.

"Our concept is a lot bigger," said Zinck, adding, "We have already applied for federal grants."

Federal grants are needed in order to keep fares within reason for potential riders, both men say, and Zinck said his company expects approval of that funding anytime now. "We've been planning to have a media day in late June or early July to announce our plans," he said.

Phoenix Star has set up an initial schedule for its airport shuttle, with departures as early as 4:30 a.m. and arrivals back in Peachtree City at 8 p.m., and will offer a package of 22 round trips for $100, said Hoff. He is hoping that Delta Air Lines and other Hartsfield tenants will apply for federal subsidies of about $65 a month for each employee using the service, to reduce the cost, he added.

He will provide the service with two motor coaches, in which he has invested about $600,000, he said.

"That equipment is way too big for our roadways here," said Zinck, adding, "What we are planning is a $26.4 million project. Peachtree City Limo will serve the county with 20-passenger minibuses and guarantee rides to the airport every 30 minutes, he said.

The firm also will expand its current taxi service, he said, adding that he will have offices in Peachtree City, Fayetteville and Tyrone, and perhaps Woolsey. "We're also working with Senoia. It's quite a large concept," he said.

Hoff's company won't be able to deliver on its promises, Zinck said. "He's kind of jumped the gun. He's just used our ideas," said Zinck, adding that he has contacted his attorneys, who are studying the possibility of taking legal action.

Hoff could not be reached for comment on Zinck's allegations by press time.

Zinck also said his company has the inside track with local governments, but a spokesman for the Peachtree City government said the city has provided the same information for both companies and otherwise is neutral.

A transportation subcommittee of Fayette County's FUTURE committee a group composed of representatives of all the city governments, the county and school board hopes to get federal funding for a feasibility study to determine whether Fayette should have public transportation, how it should be conducted and how much it would cost, said Peachtree City public information officer Betsy Tyler.

"We're certainly not trying to compete with private entities or discourage private entities from getting involved in it," she said.

As for serving Coweta County, according to Zinck it will be a few years before Coweta's population density is high enough to attract federal grants for public transportation.

Coweta county manager Theron Gay said county officials have the same attitude about public transportation that Fayette's have... they're studying it.

"I've got a meeting scheduled for next week with people from the state and the RDC's [regional development commissions] to learn what the options are, and I'll present that information to the board [County Commission] probably in June," he said.

Like Fayette, Coweta has talked with both Zinck and Hoff, but officials are not ready to throw their support to either competitor, he said.