Chatham Area Transit Authority (CAT) and the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) are working to make public transportation more accessible for local students. Through the new Student Pass Program, K-12 students will be able to utilize CAT’s fixed-route and paratransit service for free until May 31, 2025. 

Approved by CAT’s Board of Directors during its regular meeting on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, this initiative reflects a shared commitment to providing students with reliable transportation to school and other essential destinations, aligning with CAT’s Master Transit Plan. 

“Transportation should never be a barrier to education,” said Deidrick Cody, Chair of the Board of Directors. “By working together with SCCPSS, we are ensuring that students have the freedom to travel safely and affordably, whether they are heading to class, after-school programs, or home. This is a win for students, families, and the entire community.”

“Our goal at CAT is to ensure all Chatham County residents, including students, have access to safe, reliable, and convenient public transportation,” said Stephanie Cutter, Interim Executive Director/CEO of CAT. “We are proud to work with SCCPSS on this initiative and look forward to strengthening our collaboration to better serve the community.”  

To participate, parents and guardians must register their children for the program through SCCPSS by Friday, March 21. Upon registration, SCCPSS will distribute CAT passes to students between March 24 and March 28. In the meantime, students can use their school-issued ID to access CAT services.  

“At SCCPSS, we believe that access to safe, reliable transportation plays a vital role in shaping a student’s future,” said Megan Davidson, Chief Operations Officer. “We work daily to improve our transportation services and continue to seek expanded service offerings to overcome transportation barriers and to ensure all students can travel freely to school, after-school programs, and the many unique learning opportunities that our school district provides.”

SCCPSS will contribute $3,125 per month through the end of May, after which CAT and SCCPSS will evaluate the program’s impact and negotiate terms for the upcoming school year.

For more information about the program and how to register, parents and guardians should contact SCCPSS or visithttps://www.sccpss.com/district/tbs/sis.

The Student Zero-Fare Pilot Program ceased on Friday, February 28, 2025.