[11/13/03]After a yearlong study of Vicksburg’s public transportation needs, a Chamber of Commerce group has become one of five nationwide to win a grant to help fund a plan for the community.

The 17-member committee presented its findings Wednesday to representatives of the city, Warren County and the state. Chairman Jim Stirgus Sr., said he has found a need for public transportation here.

“We sincerely want to help provide transportation to those people who are less fortunate than most of us in this room,” Stirgus said.

At one time, Vicksburg was served by a privately owned bus company that ran buses in most of the main streets of Vicksburg and as far north as the Kings Community. The company went out of business in the 1960s.

Today, there is no public transportation except for taxis. City Planner Wayne Mansfield said some form of public transportation could be added to the economic development tools used by the city and county.

One proposal by the committee to help fund buses is through a 1/2-mill tax on local industries.

“You might think they would balk at that, but they won’t. They want their people to be able to get to work,” Mansfield said.

Jack Burns, terminal manager at Holcim (US) Inc., said that although the concrete distribution facility at the Port of Vicksburg only employees four people, he supports the idea.

“I think it’s an awesome idea and I’m behind it, but the reality is I don’t think Vicksburg will go for it,” Burns said.

Figures from the last U.S. Census showed that nearly 10 percent of Warren County residents have no available transportation and nearly 15 percent rely on carpools, but only 1.2 percent use public transportation.

National statistics show that 40 percent of low- and moderate-income families’ personal income is spent on transportation needs. Locally the average income is $17,527.

“Forty percent of that person’s income is going to try to get to work,” Mansfield said.

The committee submitted a plan to provide transportation to major employers along Washington Street, U.S. 61 North and South and Interstate 20 using five routes and six buses. The next step will be to turn the data over to the Community Transportation Association of American, which will conduct a two-year evaluation to determine local transportation needs.

The program is funded with a grant through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The other cities which were also awarded grants were not immediately available.