Supervisors Monday were informed that Five County Transportationwill be expanding its Lincoln County coverage in assisting theelderly and disabled with travel.

“We want to start a service here every day and not just whenthey need to go to the doctor,” said Joyce Strickland, Five CountyTransportation services director. “Our goal is to establish a routeby month’s end.”

Each district in the county will be designated for a day ofservices under the existing plan, said Tony Middleton, a seniorcitizens service advisor with Five County. However, the bus will beable to make pickups outside of its designated zone with enoughprior notice.

A minimum of 24 hours notice is required for any pickup,Middleton said.

Pickups can be arranged by calling Five County Transportation at(601) 792-4196 or (601) 441-0683.

The Lincoln County expansion has been made possible with thesupport of Southwest Mississippi Planning and Development District,which has supplied Five County with a bus, Strickland said.

“Southwest was one of our first contributors,” she said. “We’vebeen partnered with them since 1982.”

Board President Gary Walker said he was pleased someone in thecounty would be able to supply the service.

“The bus is the same one that was offered to us by Southwest,”he said.

SMPDD purchased the bus through a grant and offered it to thecounty to use to provide the same services. However, estimates ofapproximately $35,000 in annual costs to operate the bus persuadedsupervisors not to enter the transportation business.