It is here. Coweta County’s long-awaited Dial-A-Ride program began operations transporting citizens on July 1. The program is funded with federal, state and local dollars and provides transit services to business, commercial and activity centers in Coweta County, said Coweta County Public Information Officer Patricia Palmer. 

Scheduling a trip is easy, Palmer explained. Simply call (770) 683-RIDE (7433) at least 24 hours in advance. Trips are $3.00 per one way trip. Trips must be within Coweta County and between the hours of 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. The van will come to any Coweta address to pick up or drop off. 

The program uses a “demand response” model, meaning there are no fixed routes, stops or pick up times. Palmer said citizens must call and schedule a needed trip 24 hours in advance and daily routes are generated based on destinations requested. Rides are “first come, first served” based on availability. Peak times are expected to be 8-10 a.m. and 2-5 p.m. Conversely, more capacity is expected during off-peak times, 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Service will be provided Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

Coweta will ultimately have five 13-passenger vans, two of which will be equipped with a wheel chair lift. Three of the vans are on hand for the program’s kick off and two more will arrive in the next 60-90 days. The operation of the program is handled by Quality Trans, Inc., a third party contractor already operating in Coweta County.

Palmer said the program is designed and available for anyone who needs transportation within Coweta County, but it is expected that the elderly and the handicapped will be heavy users of the program. The program is projected to make 30,000 trips in its first year, she said.

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