<strong>From staff reports</strong>

On Dec. 23, Palmetto Breeze Transit took delivery of three new Motor Coach Industries (MCI) commuter buses to add to its growing fleet of public transit vehicles and trolleys.

The new vehicles will be deployed soon to serve passengers who commute to and from Bluffton and Hilton Head Island each day from their homes located throughout the agency’s five-county service area.

“It definitely feels a little like Santa delivering our presents a few days early” LRTA Board of Directors Chair Susan Zellman said in a release. “These buses are much needed to continue providing the best possible commuter services we can for our loyal passengers, all of whom deserve this holiday season ‘gift’ that will keep on giving for years to come.”

The vehicles are paid for with Federal Transit Administration (FTA), State of South Carolina DOT, and local grant monies that LRTA applies for and receives, as needed. The vehicles were manufactured in the United States by MCI in Pembina, North Dakota, and each vehicle was inspected while on the production line by Palmetto Breeze’s Director of Maintenance, Mark Stanley.

“It was such a great experience to meet the workers building our vehicles, ask them questions about the technologies included in each bus, and to get a firsthand look at what goes into each component,” Stanley said.

Palmetto Breeze provides a wide variety of public transportation services in Beaufort, Jasper, Allendale, Colleton, and Hampton counties, transporting workers from locations across the Lowcountry to work in the Hilton Head/Bluffton area. For more information, visit www.palmettobreezetransit.com and www.breezetrolley.com