Need a plane, bus or ferry? Here’s the latest on public transportation in Beaufort County
With Hurricane Ian on Beaufort County’s doorstep, here’s everything you’ll need to know about schedules and cancelations for transportation in the area:
Airports
Both the Beaufort Executive Airport on Lady’s Island and the Hilton Head Island Airport are operating normally as of Thursday morning. That could change, however, and is subject to weather conditions, according to a county press release.
American Airlines and United have canceled all flights out of Savannah Hilton Head International airport in Savannah and the Hilton Head Island Airport. However, flights operated by Delta are still scheduled for both airports.
American and United are expect to return to normal operations Saturday.
Inquiries regarding flight information should be directed to American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, or United.
The Daufuksie Island ferry
Daufuskie Island residents and visitors may see some service interruptions with the island ferry service.
Unless the captain deems conditions unsafe, the ferries will continue to run until wind speeds reach 50 mph or more. The Ferry Management team advises potential passengers to check the weather and call ahead before arriving to board the ferry.
“Ferry operators have strict safety guidelines for operating in adverse weather conditions and unscheduled delays and cancellations may occur without notice,” the management team said in a press release.
In the event of a Hurricane advisory, the ferry will continue to operate until all passengers who wish to leave the island have evacuated. All staff members are trained in hurricane preparedness.
It’s recommended to avoid parking at both Melrose Landing on Daufuskie and Buckingham Landing in Bluffton until the storm has passed. Both parking lots are in low-lying areas and can be prone to flooding, officials said in the press release.
The management team recommends moving vehicles as far away from the dock as possible, within the parking area, at Melrose Landing and moving vehicles to the Daufuskie Island Visitors Center parking lot, if parked at Buckingham Landing.
To check for delays, residents can call the ferry service at (843) 940 - 7704
Palmetto Breeze Transit
The Palmetto Breeze transit service was running normally Thursday morning, but will close two hours earlier than usual, according to mobility manager Laura Atkinson.
“Everyone we brought to work this morning, we’re going to make sure we get them home safe today,” Atkinson said Thursday.
Palmetto Breeze routes will not run Friday.
As of Thursday, the service had no plans for mandatory evacuation, however, if one is issued, Beaufort and Jasper residents who need help with transportation may register for a ride to American Red Cross shelters by going to https://www.palmettobreezetransit.com/hurricane-evacuation-information. If that happens, Atkinson said, Palmetto Breeze will set up a call center in conjunction with the sheriff’s office emergency management to get in touch with residents from the registry and accept call-ins from the public to schedule rides.
