Shuttle service improves quality of life

  • Published
  • By Lois Walsh
  • Team Eglin Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Student maintainers assigned to the 33rd Fighter Wing's joint strike fighter's training detachment now have a way to navigate the base thanks to a recent support agreement with the 96th Logistics Readiness Squadron.

On July 3, LRS kicked off a shuttle service to ensure the students could traverse the base to meet their professional and personal needs while stationed here for approximately four months. A 28-passenger bus currently runs from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and again from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m., seven days a week, with each full run taking approximately 30 minutes. The bus makes four stops each day: the 33rd FW dining facility, base exchange, East Gate chapel and Airman and Family Readiness Center. The bus will add a stop at Postl Point starting July 26, so students can enjoy activities offered by the 96th Force Support Squadron's Outdoor Recreation. A 32-passenger bus is available as ridership increases. Other military personnel can hop on the shuttle on a space-available basis.

"The maintainers are separated from the main base, and their leadership talked to us to generate ideas on where their Airmen needed to go," said 2nd Lt. Zachery Teague, officer in charge of vehicle operations. "We took several dry runs to get the locations they needed."

Putting the shuttle bus on the road was not an easy task.

"It's the culmination of a year-long initiative to write a support agreement and procure funding from the three Department of Defense service branches that send students to training," said Robert Downing, Flight Chief, Deployment and Distribution. "The 33rd shuttle reimbursement is based on cost-per-mile utilization and two additional manpower positions."

LRS expects to hire two civilian drivers in the near future to relieve their Airmen, many of whom are gearing up for deployment in the fall.

"Every base you go to is a little different," said Lt. Col. Brandon Maroon, 96th LRS commander. "We'd love to provide unlimited transportation for those folks who don't have their own way to get around; but due to resource constraints, we are not always able to provide service to them."

Since the service started, 399 people have used the shuttle. The first week saw 40 riders; the first two days of this week 44 people were transported. Last weekend yielded an almost 80 percent increase than the first. 1st Lt. David Garcia, deployment and distribution commander, doesn't see ridership decreasing as was the case when a shuttle service was offered several years ago.

"This is a different audience," Garcia said. "In the past, riders were permanent party as opposed to being here TDY."

Maroon credits the 96th Civil Engineer Group for ensuring the shuttle bus stop and routes were operational and ready to support the service with minimal interruption to traffic flow.

One rider taking advantage of the shuttle is 18-year-old Navy Seaman Recruit Kelcey Macon. She said she rides the bus every day.

"It's convenient, if not I would never go to the gym," Macon said.

LRS will continue to keep a close eye on the shuttle schedule to ensure it is meeting the needs of its customers.

"We're still making improvements, but it's coming together," Teague said.