Chatham Area Transit will suspend the 100X Airport Express shuttle service starting on March 8, according to a CAT press announcement issued on Feb. 15.

The Airport Express provides transportation to and from the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, while also serving some downtown hotel locations on the return trip. It costs passengers $5 for one-way trips or $8 for roundtrip tickets.

The service is expected to be suspended for six to 12 months so that staff can evaluate ways to improve the route.

Averaging about 170 passengers a month at a cost amounting to about $80 per passenger, the service is one of CAT’s least used and most expensive lines to maintain.

Potential changes include using a smaller vehicle for the service or possibly altering the route and adding stops to increase usage.

The suspension is in line with CAT’s mission to provide transportation to residents and visitors in the most effective way possible, said interim CEO Valerie Ragland.

“While we know change can be difficult for some, it is important that we continuously pursue ways to optimize our services to best meet the evolving needs of our customers,” Ragland said.

Last year, Savannah’s municipal government and CAT temporarily suspended service for the free downtown DOT shuttle as another cost-saving measure in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

This article appears in Feb 10-16, 2021.