A map showing potential transportation routes for Thomson-McDuffie County
In 2025, the Thomson-McDuffie Archway Partnership’s “Workforce and Education Issue” work group requested a project to better understand the current state of transportation in the City of Thomson and to explore whether a public transportation system might be a viable option for the community. A team of six students from the Terry College of Business Institute for Leadership Advancement (ILA) took on this challenge as their capstone project. The team conducted an in-person site visit, interviewed key community stakeholders, and launched a community-wide survey to gather feedback from residents, visitors, and workers.
Students recently presented their findings to an audience that included local leaders such as current and former city administrators, the county manager, city council members, nonprofit representatives, school system officials, and more. The project also caught the attention of a representative from Senator Warnock’s office. The representative was then connected with local leaders to discuss potential next steps.
This image shows three types of community members who may choose to utilize public transit in Thomson-McDuffie County.