Build a Better Bus Stop at Shelmore May 22

May 8, 2013 By Leave a Comment
An image of a bland bus stop that is at Hungryneck and Sweetgrass Shopping Center

Bus stop for 40 on Hungryneck adjacent to BI-LO near Town Centre.  This may not be an official stop, but it is one of the most actively used in Mount Pleasant.

Everyone interested in building a better bus stop for the CARTA 40 bus which stops between the CVS Pharmacy and Bank, near the BI-LO is asked to attend a drop in meeting at Collective Coffee on Wednesday, May 22 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. Jessica Jurs will be here to make coffee and espresso drinks for anyone who would like to order. Collective Coffee is located in the BI-LO Plaza at 766 S Shelmore Blvd Mt Pleasant, SC 29464.

We’ll try for some structured, open group discussion about 6 pm, when hopefully we’ll have a group on hand.

We’ve been gathering community support for this effort for several months and are happy to announce we have Architects, Engineers, Masonry Suppliers, Construction Foremen, Artists and Craftsman ready to build a shelter which will be Americans with Disabilities Act Compliant, Hurricane Resistant, Durable and a comfortable waiting are for six people. It will be lit off the grid and enabled with features which will allow you to use your smart phone or internet connected device to plan your bus trip or tell when the bus is coming using CARTA’s new bus tracker system.

If you have ideas or have seen something you like, bring pictures printed off the internet.  It will really help advance the process.  If we have more good ideas than we need, there are places all over Mount Pleasant where better bus stops are needed and other communities interested in working on bus stop improvements.

We don’t have a design yet.  When we do, several stakeholders and government agencies will have to approve it. We’re hoping for an effort which not only produces a wonderful place to wait, but a model which can be replicated across the East Cooper Community. For full updates, check back here or call William Hamilton at 843-870-5299.

You can download a printable flyer for this May 22 meeting to help engage the community.

Filed Under: press releases

Daniel Island Public Transit Meeting April 30

April 22, 2013 By Leave a Comment

On Tuesday, April 30, 6-7 pm, public transit for Daniel Island advocates will gather at the Daniel Island Library from 6 to 7 pm for a public discussion on bringing full time bus service to the community this year.  The library is located at 2301 Daniel Island Dr Daniel Island, SC 29492.  The public is welcome to attend and participate.  You can sign up for the April 30 meeting on Facebook

You can support this effort by downloading this flyer and distributing copies  inviting Daniel Island Residents to attend this meeting.  A Hungryneck Straphangers outreach team will also be working on Daniel Island prior to the meeting.  Volunteers would be appreciated.  if you need more flyers or posters to promote the meeting, the UPS Store on Daniel Island has the electronic files to print them for you.  We’re a small, volunteer organization and rely on community support like this to make our projects work.  Please help by paying to print a few and share them with your neighbors.

Coleman 41 Bus Side View

Transit advocates from Hungryneck Straphangers and will meet with stakeholders in the Daniel Island Community about bringing more extensive public transit services to the community there.  We’ll attempt a Skype call with Americans for Transit. After the formal meeting, we’ll gather at the Daniel Island Grill patio for dinner and more discussion.  If you can’t make the meeting, feel free to join us at the Grill for informal discussion.

An outreach team from Americans for Transit visited Daniel Island earlier in April and met for breakfast at the Honeycomb Cafe.  Afterwards two teams visited people on the island with information about transit and the Congressional election.  It became clear from the feedback the canvassers received that the Island wanted and was now able to support a transit development campaign.  Among the people participating in that canvass was Andrew Austin, Executive Director of Americans for Transit.

On April 25, William Hamilton and CARTA Driver Debbie Geise distributed door hanger bags at over one hundred homes and businesses on Daniel Island and met with residents at the Farmers Market.  Nearly all feedback was positive.  The Daniel Island News printed a story on the effort: Group Seeks to Bring Public Transit to DI

Existing Services and Planning Activities on Daniel Is. Transit

For more information see www.busec.org/di or call William Hamilton (843) 870-5299

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Battle for Buses in Beaufort

April 18, 2013 By 1 Comment

Beaufort County Democrats will join forces with Charleston County public transportation advocates, transit union organizers, South Carolina Progressive Network members, and concerned voters to wage a “Battle for Buses in Beaufort” on Friday, Apr. 19.

“The Battle for Buses in Beaufort” is a unique project with the dual purposes of focusing attention on the need to turn out to vote in the May 7 Special 1st Congressional District Election, and of building community support for increased state and federal funding for affordable public transportation across the Lowcountry.

It’s one of a series of ”Farebox to Ballot Box

Leafleting Dorchster Express Bus Riders

Organizers from Americans for Transit and the ATU leafleted the riders going on the Dorchester Express bus in Summerville

” events being held from Apr. 15 to May 6 that range from distribution of voter information cards about 1st Congressional District candidates positions on public transit and voter outreach at bus stops to absentee voting via public transit.

“The Battle for Buses in Beaufort” will kick-off at 6 a.m., on Friday, Apr. 19, at the Palmetto Breeze Terminal in Bluffton, which is located at 25 Benton Field Rd., near the intersection of Burnt Church and Ulmer roads.

Volunteers will handout flyers about the upcoming 1st Congressional District election and 1st Congressional District public transportation funding needs to pre-dawn Palmetto Breeze riders from Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton, Colleton, and Allendale counties, who use the regional public bus system to get to their jobs in Bluffton and Hilton Head Island, according to Atty. William J. Hamilton, III, President of the Hungryneck Straphangers.

“We ride standing up–and we won’t sit down until Beaufort County has better public transportation,” says Hamilton, whose transit riders’ group is co-sponsoring Friday’s Bluffton events with Americans for Transit, the Amalgamated Transit Drivers Union, and the Charleston Chapter of the S.C. Progressive Network.

CARTA bus to Mount Pleasant Coleman Blvd. at Vistor's Center

CARTA Coleman Blvd. 41 Bus at Start of Route, Charleston Visitor’s Center, Express bus arriving from N. Charleston

Friday’s “Battle for Buses in Beaufort” events also include discussions with local businesses whose employees use or could benefit from the use of public transportation, and local residents who want to see expanded public bus service.

A lunch meeting of volunteers is also being planned for 1 p.m. at the Golden Corral, in addition to a return to the Palmetto BreezeTerminal to pass out flyers to afternoon bus riders.

“Today (Apr. 17) we reached over 5,000 voters in Charleston, and they will be turning out to vote on May 7,” Hamilton said of Wednesday’s all day “We Ride, We Care, We Will Vote” outreach to Charleston Area Regional Transit Authority bus riders at bus stops and businesses.

Public transportation advocates invited all 18 1st Congressional District candidates on the March 19 Republican and Democratic primary ballots to ride public transit, and to answer questions about their positions on public transit and funding for the proposed Passenger Intermodal Transit Center in North Charleston.

But only Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch, a Republicans Elizabeth Moffaly, Teddy Turner, Robert Hoffman, Ric Bryant, and Tim Larkin and Green Larry Carter Center rode the bus.

Former Gov. Mark Sanford, who’ll face off against Colbert Busch for the 1st District seat on May 7, has steadfastly declined to ride the bus–despite seven e-mail and in-person requests, according to updates and photos available at http://tinyurl.com/votetransit.

Moffley and Larken boarding the 40 Mount Pleasant Bus

Republican Candidates Moffley and Larken boarding the 40 Mount Pleasant Bus

“This is an important effort,” Beaufort County Democratic Party Chairman Blaine Lotz told Beaufort County Democrats in an e-mail urging them to support “The Battle for Buses in Beaufort.” Lotz invited Hamilton to make a presentation about the event at the Apr. 12 BCDP Executive Committee.

“Affordable public transportation is one the most crucial needs in Beaufort County–and has been for years,” says Northern Beaufort County Democratic Club President Theresa White.

“Not having reliable transportation keeps too many people from getting the jobs and education that would improve their quality of life,” explained White, who plans to attend all the “Battle for Buses in Beaufort” events.

Contact: Theresa White, President

The Northern Beaufort County Democratic Club
Atty. William J. Hamilton, III, President
Hungryneck Stephangers
www.busec.org/vote - #busvotesc1
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