Fewer folks taking advantage of ‘free’MATA bus rides

Fewer folks taking advantage of ‘free’MATA bus rides

MPO, city look at ridership, cost figures

news@theeveningtimes.com

While bus riders are down, the City of West Memphis must send the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) more money to run the buses around the city route.

The city previously consolidated routes to save on money and earmarked Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds to pay for more energy efficient buses as part of the plan. Transportation planners heard an update at the quarterly West Memphis Metropolitan Planning Organization meetings during the first two weeks of the month.

“We sent $125,000 in CMAQ funds over to MATA to keep the buses going in West Memphis,” said MPO study Director Eddie Brawley. “We’ll be discussing that over there with them today. We need to hash out the transit funds transfer.”

Requirements dictate that funds dedicated to running MATA through the West Memphis transfer between federal agencies. Administrators at the July meeting of the MPO technical committee walked through the string of government agency hand-offs for the CMAQ funds to be properly

handled. “It has already been approved, so we need to fire

off a letter and get on it,” said MPO Study Director Eddie Brawley.

City Planner Paul Luker offered an explanation for the reduced volume of riders on the West Memphis route. He said when the MATA bus routes were combined, some students began hopping on the school bus. With summer break, the numbers took an even sharper seasonal slump.

“Without the school ridership,

our summertime numbers are down

tremendously,” noted Luker.

With school back in session this week for public schools and ASU Mid-South classes resuming next week, numbers should

increase once again.

By John Rech