FORT DRUM — The installation is in talks to partner with area organizations to provide transportation to and from post.

Fort Drum previously provided shuttles to and from Army Section 801 off-post housing complexes in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. However, it had to end that service when the Army's leases expired beginning in December because the Army is not allowed to provide transportation from property it does not own to duty areas.

Representatives from Fort Drum, the Fort Drum Regional Liaison Organization, the state Department of Transportation, the Jefferson County Department of Planning and St. Lawrence County met in December to discuss how best to assess the area's needs.

"We are in the nascent stages of development here," DOT spokesman Michael R. Flick said.

He said Fort Drum community planner Betty Jones set up the original meeting and has been the effort's lead organizer.

Mr. Flick said the representatives believe there is a need for a new form of transportation in the area and they now need to collect the data to back it up.

Carl A. McLaughlin, executive director of the FDRLO, said his organization is researching the information the state has on transportation in the three-county area before proceeding with a formal needs assessment.

"Do we need to do a needs assessment? I think we do," he said.

Mr. McLaughlin said the FDRLO and Fort Drum also are researching transportation systems at other military installations to determine if those models could be used in this area.

Fort Drum already is working to address transportation needs on post and announced last week it will begin a shuttle service across the installation Friday.

Mr. Flick said he hopes if an off-post shuttle service is created it eventually will be connected with the one on post.

He said although the project is only in preliminary research, area officials believe it shows promise.