As parents, grandparents and caregivers who have children at St. James School in Chatham County, we would like to make a final appeal to Chairman Pete Liakakis, Helen Stone, Bill Broker, David Dawson, Bill Durrence, Howard French, James Holmes, Jay Jones and Frank Mingledorf to reconsider the cancellation of the route 20 to Skidaway Island in the mornings and afternoons to pick up and deliver students to St. James School.

This was such a successful pilot program. In the beginning of the program only a handful of parents were comfortable sending their children on public transportation, but as word spread about the convenience and the wonderful service provided by the the drivers, more and more parents gave it a chance. The route turned into something many parents, grandparents and caregivers came to depend upon to get their children to and from school each day. Parents were able to change their work schedules since they knew their children had a reliable way home. There were also many parents who do not live on Skidaway Island who took advantage of the bus by allowing their children to ride home with friends so they did not have to find after school care while they finished their work day.

While reducing the number of cars on the road in the morning and afternoon as many parents did not have to leave the island, or for those parents who were working off island, they did not have to do school pick up and then head back to work, the children have grown to love public transportation and take ownership in it. They see no stigma in using public transportation and actually identify the CAT busses as "my bus" when seen around town. This program was raising a new generation that will not hesitate to use public transportation instead of getting in their own vehicle given the choice. Please reconsider the cancellation of the bus route. Parents are willing to pay a fare for their children to use this route.