MEMPHIS, Tenn — Back in 2016, MATA received an additional $500,000 with a possibility of adding 8 new routes. Now, about seven years later, the authority is in a completely different position.
Eight routes were at risk of being cut back in December due to low ridership and unreliable buses. However, cutting vital transportation doesn’t come without sacrifice.
“The fixed route schedule is scanty and unreliable,” Dorothy Conner said.
Conner is a MATA rider and an advocate for people dealing with MATA issues.
“Children need to get to school, people need to go to grocery stores, they need to get jobs,” Conner said. “People are losing jobs because of an unreliable service.”
She said a laundry list of problems with the transit service is keeping Memphis's public transportation from being what it could be.
“We have a lot of breakdowns, no shows, buses needing repairs,” Conner said. “We need to hire drivers and mechanics.”
She and other riders are hopeful new Memphis Mayor Paul Young will take this situation seriously.
“I’ll be having some more discussions with the president of MATA and their team to understand what financial goals they’re trying to reach to see how the city can support their goals so that we can prevent cuts to the extent possible,” Young said.
MATA isn't saying much. They provided the following statement:
"MATA is continuing the important work of connecting people to places. As there are no service changes at this time, we are prioritizing engagement with key stakeholders including ridership, community organizations, and governmental entities. While we optimize our available resources, we remain committed to being a vehicle for opportunity, equity, and a better quality of life for all by providing a safe, reliable, and accessible transportation system."
MATA is not disclosing any specific numbers about its financial shape.
In the meantime, the few people who do ride the bus are looking ahead to meeting with Mayor Young and other leaders. They’ve placed a billboard at Airways and I-240 so every rider can see the goal.
MATA’s board of commissioners meets next in two weeks on Jan. 23. The meeting is open to the public and will allow public comments.