South Central Transit

What South Central Transit does

South Central Transit (legal name: South Central Illinois Mass Transit District, also DBA "SCT") is a municipal corporation and public transit agency that has provided general public transportation across six counties in South Central Illinois for 35 years. The agency operates as the designated primary public transportation provider for Clinton, Franklin, Jefferson, Marion, Perry, and Washington Counties, offering fixed-route shuttle services, demand-responsive door-to-door and curb-to-curb service, Medicaid-coordinated medical transportation delivered in partnership with Transdev, and a subscription-based school transportation program with monthly passes. There is no proprietary digital platform; service access is conducted primarily through phone scheduling (1-800-660-7433, plus 711 for hearing-impaired access), a basic online trip planner on the agency's website, and six physical offices and a Transportation Center distributed across Centralia, Mt. Vernon, Breese, DuQuoin, and West Frankfort. No mobile application is offered, and the technology stack is limited to standard transit fleet operations with demand-responsive scheduling and fixed-route buses.

The business model combines passenger fare revenue with public funding. Standard fares are $2.00 per trip within city limits, $10.00 per trip for countywide service, and $20.00 per trip for inter-county service, with reduced $0.50 fares available for seniors (60+), disabled riders, and military/veterans presenting valid ID. A school transportation monthly pass is offered at $40.00 per child for city-limit routes, and the SCT Money Card prepaid program enables discounted fare bundling. The agency is governed by a Board of Directors with county-level representation and is funded through a combination of fare revenue, federal Section 5311-style rural transit grants, and state appropriations, with the FY27 operating budget publicly approved. Distribution is regional and direct-to-consumer via phone, online trip planner, and in-person office visits, supplemented by Facebook and Instagram channels and a multilingual website.

Name

South Central Transit

Legal name

South Central Illinois Mass Transit District

Website

https://southcentraltransit.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

South Central Transit is a municipal mass transit agency providing public transportation across six South Central Illinois counties, operating fixed-route shuttles, demand-responsive door-to-door services, Medicaid transportation via Transdev, and school transport programs for the general public, seniors, disabled riders, and veterans.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Transportation Services

NAICS

Bus and Other Motor Vehicle Transit Systems (485113), Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation (48521), Special Needs Transportation (485991)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Transit Agencies (Bus, Rail, Metro, Paratransit) (BPAIALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rural & Community Demand-Responsive Transit (THAIAHAD), Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) (HSABAOAA)

Keywords

• Public transit services
• Demand response transit
• Paratransit services
• Fixed route shuttle
• Medicaid transportation

Headquarters

HQ city

Centralia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Passenger Fares: South Central Transit generates revenue through passenger fares for transit services. Fares vary by service type: city limit rides at $2.00 per trip, countywide service at $10.00 per trip per person, and inter-county service at $20.00 per trip per person. Reduced fares are available for seniors (60+), disabled individuals, and military/veterans at $0.50 per trip with valid ID. School transportation monthly passes are available at $40.00 per child.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

South Central Transit (SCT) is the primary public transportation provider for six counties in South Central Illinois (Clinton, Franklin, Jefferson, Marion, Perry, and Washington). It operates scheduled fixed-route shuttle services, door-to-door and curb-to-curb demand-responsive transit, Medicaid-coordinated medical transportation, and school transportation programs, all paid via fares or the SCT Money Card prepaid value system.

Product overview

South Central Transit operates as a single unified public transportation network offering multiple service types across South Central Illinois. The core offering consists of general public transportation with scheduled shuttle routes serving six counties, supplemented by door-to-door and curb-to-curb service options for passengers with mobility needs. Specialized services include Medicaid transportation (authorized through Transdev) and school transportation with monthly passes. The SCT Money Card provides the primary payment mechanism across all services. The company does not operate a modular software platform but rather delivers transportation services through different service delivery models (scheduled routes, demand-response, Medicaid, school transport) unified under the SCT brand.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Transportation Services General public transportation services providing safe, reliable transit through South Central Illinois, serving Clinton, Franklin, Jefferson, Marion, Perry, and Washington Counties for 35 years.
• Door-to-Door Service Service where SCT drivers or escorts assist passengers from the door of the pick-up point to the vehicle and from the vehicle to the door of the destination, requiring one-day advance scheduling.
• Curb-to-Curb Service Transit service where SCT vehicles stop at the curb for passenger pick-ups and deliveries, with driver assistance available for boarding and de-boarding upon request.
• Medicaid Transportation Medical appointment transportation authorized through Transdev (the Illinois Medicaid transportation provider), requiring 48-hour business notice and prior approval numbers; scheduling available up to 3 months in advance.
• School Transportation Monthly pass program for transportation to and from school within city limits, offering daily Monday-Friday service at $40.00 per child per month.
• County Shuttle Routes Scheduled shuttle routes across six Illinois counties including Yankees and Reagan (Washington County), Marlins and Cardinals (Marion County), Olive, Walnut, Lincoln, and Washington (Jefferson County), Rangers (Franklin County), Oak and Sycamore (Perry County).
• SCT Money Card Prepaid value card system for fare payment, available in $10 and $30 denomination squares, sold at $35-50 value with discount pricing for military, veterans, disabled, and seniors.

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• TransdevcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransdev is the authorizing agency for Medicaid transportation in the State of Illinois. Clients must contact Transdev (866-503-9040) to get approval for Medicaid to pay for transportation services. South Central Transit provides the actual transportation on the day of the appointment. This is a coordinated service model where Transdev handles authorization and SCT handles transportation delivery.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Rides Mass Transit District: Southern Illinois downstate Mass Transit District operating fixed-route and paratransit services across multiple rural counties. Directly comparable in size, service mix, regulatory structure, and rider demographics to South Central Transit.
• Decatur Public Transit System (DPTS): Public transit provider serving Decatur, Illinois, with fixed-route and paratransit service. Comparable as another downstate Illinois transit system of similar scale and rural-urban catchment.
• Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD): Illinois Mass Transit District providing fixed-route bus service and paratransit (ADA) in Champaign-Urbana. Operates under the same Illinois Mass Transit District statute as SCT and is a natural reference point for funding formulas, governance, and service design in downstate Illinois.
• Bloomington-Normal Public Transit (Connect Transit): Public transit system serving Bloomington-Normal in central Illinois with fixed-route service and paratransit for seniors and riders with disabilities. Comparable in service mix, especially the paratransit and demand-responsive offering.
• River Valley Metro Mass Transit District: Mass Transit District serving the Joliet/Will County area in Illinois. Comparable as a suburban-rural Illinois Mass Transit District operating fixed-route and paratransit service under the same enabling statute.
• Springfield Mass Transit District (SMTD): Illinois Mass Transit District serving the state capital region with fixed-route buses and paratransit. Closely comparable regulatory and operational model, though serving a larger urban catchment than SCT.

Broad incumbents

• MV Transportation: Major U.S. private contractor of paratransit, fixed-route, and NEMT services. Comparable as a potential competitive bidder for Illinois Medicaid NEMT and transit contracts, and a benchmark for private-sector operating cost structures.
• Pace Suburban Bus: Suburban Chicago public transit bus operator under the Regional Transportation Authority. A much larger Illinois bus operator that competes for state and federal funding and serves as a broader incumbent in the same regulatory and funding ecosystem.

Emerging players

• First Student: Largest U.S. school transportation contractor. Comparable to SCT's school transportation subscription service ($40/month) and a potential contractor or competitor for school transport contracts in SCT's six-county service area.

Others

• Transdev: Large private transit and paratransit operator that serves as SCT's Medicaid authorization partner in Illinois. Relevant as both a strategic partner and a potential competitive threat if Illinois rebrokers NEMT volume to large private operators.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/southcentraltransit.org
• Instagraminstagram.com/southcentraltransit
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/south-central-transit

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about South Central Transit