At their November 16, 2021, regular meeting, the Camden County Board of Commissioners approved the request to authorize American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to temporarily pay ridership fees for the Coastal Regional Coaches in Camden County.
“This is an excellent opportunity to assist our neighbors that need transportation support,” said Gary Blount, Chairman, Camden County Board of Commissioners. “We are proud to partner with the City of St. Marys to provide funding for ridership fees for our local residents.”
The approval includes utilizing $10,000 of the over $10.6 million in ARPA funds provided to Camden County. By paying the ridership fees, Camden County is providing free access for essential services including, but not limited to, health appointments, employment services, and food security.
Priority use of the funds set by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s interim final rule on ARPA funding include: supporting the public health response, address negative economic impacts, and equity-focused services.
The Coastal Regional Coaches, operated by the Coastal Regional Commission, provide door-todoor services within Camden County for $3.00 per trip. The $10,000 contributed by the Camden County Board of Commissioners was matched by the City of St. Marys, for a total of $20,000.
This amount nearly equals all of the ridership fees spent by Camden County riders in 2020.
