Senator Derek Mallow of Savannah has called for local leaders to resolve the ongoing dispute between the Chatham Area Transit Authority (CAT) and the Chatham County Board of Commissioners. In a statement released on November 25, 2025, Mallow emphasized the importance of public transit for both residents and the tourism industry in Savannah.
“I urge our community leaders to come together and work toward a comprehensive solution. The future of our city and county depends on our local leadership resolving their differences to better support the people they serve.
Public transit is essential to protect the economic development of a growing city like Savannah. Mass transit interruptions across the Savannah metro and Chatham County will make it more difficult for citizens to commute and provide for themselves. Our tourism industry suffers, too, when we are forced to turn visitors away due to a lack of readily accessible public transportation.
Dr. King put it best: ‘All mankind is tied together, all life is interrelated, and we are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny.’ We may not agree on everything, but we should all affirm that the riders of CAT do not deserve to be caught in the middle of political discourse.
Recently, Commission Chairman Ellis notified the CAT board that the county will withdraw from the system at the end of the current fiscal year. If CAT loses an important source of funding, hardworking Georgians will be left without a readily accessible mode of transportation to feed their families, commute to work and regularly attend doctors’ appointments. We owe it to them to come to the table in good faith and find common ground to best serve our citizens.”
Senator Mallow represents Georgia’s 2nd Senate District, which includes part of Chatham County. He serves as Chief Deputy Whip for the Senate Minority Caucus.
