ROCKDALE COUNTY, Ga. -- It’s hard to miss the streak of bright blue going down the roads of Rockdale County. That’s why the name is easy to remember -- The Blue Bus.
"We are in the places that MARTA can’t get to right now," Alexander Fitzhugh with The Blue Bus said.
The Blue Bus only runs in Rockdale County for now but the idea is to cover what’s known as “the last mile.” It's the last leg of the journey from the MARTA station to your home, especially in fringe counties of metro Atlanta.
"They do have options of taxis and stuff like that but they get expensive," Fitzhugh said.
At only $3 a ride, it’s also serving communities that are often left out like the elderly, students, and certain minorities. The bus also takes people to the MARTA station at Stonecrest Mall so they can get into the city if they need to.
"There’s a very large Latino community in Rockdale that’s underserved," he said.
That’s why one of the stops on their three routes is a Hispanic grocery store.
"When you have a mom at home that doesn't drive and dad is always at work, they’ve got to wait usually until Sunday to do the grocery shopping," Rebeca Gibbons of Unidos Somos United said.
The Blue Bus is also partnering with local schools to give students a ride. They stop at every high school in town. One group needed to get to Georgia Career Institute.
"Making sure they can have students that come to school without the headache of trying to figure out how to get here, it’s pretty innovative," student Naomi Mallin said.
It’s completely self-funded right now – but the county is glad to have them. Some think this could be the blueprint to better transportation in other counties too.
Commissioner Doreen Williams said the problem of getting around is widespread.
"I absolutely think it’s more widespread than just Rockdale," Williams said.
"Newton County, Henry County, Butts County - there’s all kinds of counties around us where there is no public transportation at all," he said.
For more information on The Blue Bus, click here.
