The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) presented two awards to Palmetto Breeze, managed by First Transit.

SCDOT's Division of Intermodal Planning Office of Public Transit presented Palmetto Breeze with this year’s awards for Human Services Transit Provider of the Year, as well as the award for the Most Improved Transit System.

Palmetto Breeze Executive Director Rochelle Ferguson expressed her enthusiasm for the recognition received. “We are thrilled Palmetto Breeze has been recognized for all of our hard work and efforts. We are grateful for such a high level of recognition by the state."

The Most Improved Transit System recognizes the achievements of an agency in improving efficiency and in meeting or exceeding compliance standards.

"With the challenges of slashed budgets and new regulations, we believe it is notable that an agency can meet these demands and greatly improve their efficiency, and meeting or exceeding compliance requirements is commendable," Doug Frate, deputy secretary for tntermodal freight for the DOT, said.

Frate said the Human Services Provider award goes to provider that has "demonstrated the value of creating partnerships and focusing on the most important ingredient of public transportation - the customer."

"By building coalitions and working together, they have tremendously increased human service ridership," Frate said.  

The Lowcountry Regional Transportation Authority is the region’s public transportation provider and operates as Palmetto Breeze.

Ferguson said Palmetto Breeze's ridership is up 28% from last year.