Hurricane Helene’s Impacts on Public Transit in the Southeastern US

Hurricane Helene struck Florida’s Big Bend region on Thursday, September 26, 2024 as a powerful & catastrophic Category 4 storm, leaving behind a trail of destruction from Naples, Florida all the way up to the Carolinas & eastern Tennessee. Our thoughts & prayers are with everyone whose lives were turned upside down by the storm, as well as those who lost loved ones & friends during the disaster.

Last Update: 10/03/2024.

Impacts on Transit Service

While most transit agencies have been able to recover from Helene & have restored full service. Please keep in mind that the following transit agencies are still facing service impacts as of Monday, September 30, 2024:

Florida
- Sarasota Breeze Transit – Sarasota, FL
  - Normal service is operating for most routes. However, the following routes & services remain suspended due to storm impacts:
    - OnDemand (microtransit) zones in Siesta Key & Downtown Sarasota/Lido Key/Longboat Key.
    - The Siesta Islander Trolley (formerly known as the Siesta Key Breeze Trolley).
- Manatee County Area Transit – Bradenton, FL
  - Normal service is operating for most routes. However, beach trolley service is limited until further notice.
    - For service updates, view the MCAT MyStop application & select Public Service Messages.
- Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority – St. Petersburg/Clearwater, FL
  - Normal service is operating for most routes. However, the following routes & services remain suspended due to storm impacts:
    - Route 59 is unable to service certain coastal areas due to impassible roads. Buses are turning around at the Indian Rocks Shopping Center at Ulmerton Rd & Indian Rocks Rd.
    - The City of St. Petersburg & PSTA announced that fares within the city limits will be waived until Sunday, October 13, 2024 to help assist those who have lost so much during the storm – including their means of transportation.

Georgia
- Chatham Area Transit – Savannah, GA
  - All services have been restored, but some routes are running with detours.
- Augusta Transit – Augusta, GA
  - All services are suspended until further notice.
The Carolinas
- Asheville Redefines Transit (ART) – Asheville, NC
  - All services are suspended until further notice. The agency is assisting with relief efforts, as much of the city was among the hardest hit areas in the state of North Carolina.
Amtrak Services
- Several Amtrak services were suspended or curtailed during the storm due to impacts to infrastructure, including the Silver Star, Silver Meteor, Crescent, Palmetto, & the Auto Train. As of 10/2/2024, all affected services have been restored.
- Please visit the Amtrak website for the latest updates.
Please note that this list is not inclusive of all affected transit agencies. Please reach out to me on social media or the Contact Page if there’s something I’ve missed. This post will be updated daily until all listed services have been restored.