Public transportation coming to Shenandoah County

SHENANDOAH COUNTY, Va. (WHSV) - Starting in October you’ll be able to ride a bus from Strasburg all the way down to New Market for just $1, and it’s all part of the new ShenGo Transit.

The transit system that’s been years in the making will provide two shuttles traveling north and south along the Rt. 11 corridor, Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Over the last three years, the Shenandoah County offices of economic and community development, Shenandoah County Chamber of Commerce, and the towns of New Market, Edinburg, Woodstock, Toms Brook, and Strasburg worked to bring the project to fruition.

Working with the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation and the Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission, the group was able to acquire grant funding to test the new transit program for the next 18 months.

Sharon Baroncelli, with the Shenandoah County Chamber of Commerce, says this was planned to take off last year but due to the pandemic, it was held off.

She says this will help many get up and down the county who may have no other way.

“For seniors to get to medical appointments, to get to shopping, for employees to get to jobs they need has always been there and it’s wonderful that all the county and the towns all partnered, ” Baroncelli said.

In addition, funding from RideSmart, Valley Health, Shenandoah Memorial Hospital, New Market Poultry, and Walmart will help the buses roll out on Oct. 4.

Each bus is ADA accessible and equipped with a lift for access. The buses will have two areas of secure mobility devices, such as wheelchairs and walkers with 12 passenger seats.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the buses will be held Oct. 1 at 2 p.m. at the Shenandoah County Government Center

For more information and a route map, click here.

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