WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. — West Memphis' commute across the Mississippi River just got a lot easier.
A big decision came down during Tuesday night's Memphis City Council meeting — they've approved the return of MATA to West Memphis. This major change will help West Memphis residents get around the city.
MATA ended service to West Memphis back in 2018 due to low ridership.
“This program is an amazing example of what we can accomplish when we work together," said West Memphis Mayor Marco McClendon in a news release.
"By providing public transportation service for West Memphis, Arkansas, the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) would help improve mobility for that community without sacrificing growth and innovation opportunities for Memphis area residents. If approved, funding from the City of West Memphis would cover all operational and staffing costs related to their services,’’ said Bacarra Mauldin, MATA Chief of Staff.
The West Memphis Area Transit will use MATA's new Ready! service, a curb-to-curb transit service similar to private ride-sharing services like Uber or Lyft.
West Memphis says Ready! riders can reserve a pick-up or drop-off within the area by phone or mobile app, with the ability to track their rides. It will be available soon, and cost the same as MATA's fixed-rate fare of only $2 per ride.
For more information about West Memphis Ready!, visit www.matatransit.com/ready.