Residents of Mississippi County can now take advantage of transportation offered at a discounted rate, thanks to North East Arkansas Transit, a new grant-funded program operating under the umbrella of the Crowley's Ridge Development Council.
North East Arkansas Transit (NEAT) offers transportation to any resident of a rural area, for shopping, medical appointments, socialization, employment, education or any other need. There are no requirements for participation based on income, age or disability -- anyone living in Mississippi County is eligible, and the transportation is provided to and from anywhere within the county. Services are also offered in Craighead, Crittenden, Cross, Poinsett and St. Francis Counties.
If the pickup and drop-off location are both within the same city, the fare is $4 round trip. A fare from Blytheville to Osceola is $12 round trip, and from Blytheville to Manila is $14 round trip. Riders are asked to contact NEAT at least 24 hours in advance to schedule their ride so that a driver can be made available.
"We especially want people to call ahead if they have a specific time that they need to be somewhere," said Chief Operating Officer Kera Crafton. Crafton said the program, which began operating on Monday, already has participants and fills a real need in the area.
"Transportation is a definite need in northeast Arkansas," she said. "If you look at the map, other areas of the state have coverage through transportation services, but northeast Arkansas didn't. We're funded through the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department, and this program is designed to help people in rural communities have an available mode of transit from one place to another that's not too expensive. The EOC of Mississippi County has been very helpful in getting the word out for us, we already have several riders, and we hope to have more in the future."
NEAT operates from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. To schedule a ride or enquire about fares, call 1-866-336-3691 or 870-932-0836.
sharris@blythevillecourier.com