The Beaufort-Jasper Regional Transportation Authority was established in 1978 under the Regional Transportation Authority Law, Section 58-25-10 et seq. Code of Laws of South Carolina (1976) as the primary public transportation provider for Beaufort and Jasper counties.

Transportation was provided to the public for commuting to various jobs on Hilton Head Island and points in-between. In 1984 three additional counties were added to the Authority including Allendale, Colleton, and Hampton. To reflect the addition of these counties the name was changed to Lowcountry Regional Transportation Authority (LRTA). Additional services included Medicaid transportation, Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) transportation, vanpooling, and human service agency transportation.

A demand response (dial-a-ride) service was initiated in 1997 in Beaufort County and additional human service agency transportation was provided for Programs for Exceptional People, Beaufort-Jasper Comprehensive Health, the Technical College of the Lowcountry and others.