DAPHNE, Ala. — A meeting of the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce with Daphne and Spanish Fort officials on Monday revealed survey results and cost projections for public transit here.

The survey, funded by the chamber, found that 90 percent of 40 people surveyed would consider some kind of carpool when gas reached $4 a gallon — which it has, so the desire for public transportation is evident, according to Kevin Tilbury, an associate of transportation services at Gresham Smith and Partners.

A public bus system would also help to decrease traffic, he said.

First, and of no cost to any of the cities — Daphne, Fairhope or Spanish Fort — he recommended hiring a transit coordinator to initiate the CommuteSmart system, which assures carpoolers a taxi or some form of transportation in emergencies where the driver must leave early, he said.

This would encourage carpool and vanpool and get people to start considering other transportation options, he said.

The move to a full bus system would cost a total of $22.1 million in start up and operating costs, he said. The program would eventually include bus service Monday though Saturday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. to run every 30 minutes with routes down U.S. Highway 98 and within the cities, he said.

Adding such a service would tell the public that local governments “are now providing that (public transit) for you just like a park,” he said.

Daphne City Councilwoman Cathy Barnette asked if federal grants were easy to get for this type of project.

Tilbury said the federal government would be supportive of the Eastern Shore implementing a public transit system.

Barnette also asked Tilbury for the public’s response to the idea of the bus system.

“Out of 40 responses, most viewed it favorably,” he said.

Barnette took the information into consideration and asked what the next step would be. “We wanted to show the cost and let the cities decide,” Darrelyn Bender, chamber president and CEO,said. the first step could begin tomorrow,she said of the hiring of the coordinator and encouragement of carpools. The bus system can be implemented in phases with less routes and hourly stops to cut costs,Tilbury said