S

Just to make a point clear, the “SC” in SCATS, the common acronym displayed on transit buses seen routinely throughout Franklin County and neighboring areas, does not stand for “senior citizens.”

SCATS stands for South Central Area Transit Service, and Director Amy Sons explained that many residents think the service is only available to senior citizens.

On the contrary, she said, SCATS will transport anyone in need at a modest cost during the entity’s normal operational hours.

“We’re not here just for senior citizens,” Sons said. “We take people to work, to buy groceries, to the bank, to pay bills, to restaurants, to pharmacies, to doctor’s appointments — anything like that.

“A lot of people think it’s only for senior citizens, but our service goes way beyond that.”

Franklin County’s SCATS program is headquartered at 1489 Decherd-Estill Road in Decherd and is funded through the South Central Tennessee Development District as part of a 13-county network.

SCATS is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily during weekdays. Sons said SCATS passengers should allow time for drivers to get to their pickup destinations.

For example, it may take a half hour to get from the SCATS home base to a residence.

All reservations are based on availability and must be made 24 hours in advance. To ensure availability, a 48- to 72-hour advance notice is recommended.

The cost inside the Manchester city limits is $2 each way with a total of $4 to get to and from a destination. Each additional stop is $1.

The cost outside the city limits is $3 each way or a total of $6 to and from a destination.

To schedule rides, call 931-967-0741 or 1-833-806-7228. The email address is fra-dispatch@scats.sctdd.org.