Residents traveling on the west side of Shelby now have a reliable, free way to get to appointments, the grocery store or even the library. On Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2017, the Transportation Administration of Cleveland County (TACC) began offering rides on the new West End Reach Transit service, a 20-passenger van that provides an eight-stop public transportation route sponsored by the Partnership for Community Prosperity (PCP).
"The most important thing we want people to know about this project is that it was the community who identified transportation as a problem. It was the community who came up with the solution. And it was the community who identified the vital stops on the route," says PCP Coordinator Chris Gash, who also holds the title of "Community Quarterback" for the Cleveland County Schools.
The West End Reach Transit route runs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Seven times each day the van makes stops at the library, the County Health Department, the Ollie Harris Behavioral Health Center, the Department of Social Services (DSS), the hospital, grocery stores, Cleveland Community College and a primary care provider.
"We really want to get the word out that this service is available to anyone who wants to use it," says Bob Davis, TACC executive director. "This route is free and is a tool that we hope will help promote healthy lifestyles and wellness by providing access to needed services."
Brochures detailing the West End Reach Transit service are available at numerous locations throughout town, including the library, DSS and the health department. The brochure includes a schedule of all stops on the route.
"We hope this service does well and that we can eventually expand services like this to other parts of the county," says Gash.
For more information about the West End Reach Transit Service, visit the TACC web site at www.taccshelbync.com, search for "Transportation Administration of Cleveland County" on Facebook, or call 704-482-2311.

By April Hoyle Shauf

Special to Community First Media