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CASSOPOLIS — Cass County is taking a deeper look into its residents’ transportation needs.

Cass County Public Transportation, 400 E. State St., Cassopolis, is currently hosting a community survey to collect resident input on county transit needs and how the department can adapt to meet those needs. The survey is part of outreach efforts for a study that will result in a transit service plan.

The survey, which will remain open until May 21, can be found at surveymonkey.com/r/CassCountyCommunitySurvey or on the county’s website, casscountymi.org.

“This is the community’s opportunity to help design what public transportation will look like in Cass County in the future, so we hope everyone will take a few minutes to complete the survey,” said Cass County Public Transportation Coordinator Dennis Schuh.

“The results will help inform us regarding the service options that should be considered for inclusion in the transit service plan.”

Schuh said the board decided to initiate a transit service plan due to observing changing needs in the county.

In the past, Schuh said Cass County Public Transportation has primarily worked with agency transportation and some general public transportation. However, with agency needs changing, Schuh expects to see an increase in general public needs.

Schuh said the survey is the first step to reaching out to the public during the planning process.

“We want to hear what the people want and redesign the system,” he said. “This is the public’s opportunity to redesign the system. We are looking from the survey to hear from areas that really haven’t had much service. Do they want service, and if they do, what do they want it to look like?”

Schuh said he would encourage all Cass County residents to participate in the survey and hopes it will bring to light the county’s transportation needs and the importance of public transit.

“For those without a vehicle or have some physical disability that prevents them from driving [public transit] is really their only way around. And in a rural area like this, essential services, like medical services, are concentrated in the more urban areas,” he said. “It’s important that we know how to meet the need.”

For more information, contact Cass County Public Transportation at (269) 445-2455.