MATA approves less drastic changes

Cash infusion saves six Memphis Area Transit Authority routes, other cuts averted

If you’re a regular on the Memphis bus system, you may see minor routing and timing adjustments starting in December, but your route won’t be cut.

The 31 Firestone, which was slated for elimination about a month ago, will now just see a routing change and a frequency change on weekdays.

An infusion of $2.5 million in extra funding from the city of Memphis saved six routes that were planned for elimination, before the Memphis Area Transit Authority board voted on a final slate of service changes that will take effect Dec. 9.

“I think this board feels comfortable the budget is as low as it can go while maintaining the services we have,” acting board chair John Vergos said.

The board voted Tuesday to make timing and routing changes to 22 different bus routes, and to cut the 47 Shelby Farms Park route. That route was a Shelby County-funded yearlong pilot, and MATA officials said it wasn’t meeting the benchmark of 10 passengers per hour.

“I think this board feels comfortable the budget is as low as it can go while maintaining the services we have.” John Vergos

The changes are significantly less drastic than an earlier proposal, and they come at a time when Shelby County officials are mulling a dedicated funding source for MATA.

Nine routes will see frequency changes and 13 will have minor timing adjustments. Five of those routes will have geographic or alignment changes.

MATA is not self-funding, and relies heavily on government contributions to its budget. A local delegation, including MATA CEO Gary Rosenfeld and Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland, traveled to Washington D.C., last week to lobby for funding that would allow for a rapid transit bus connecting Downtown Memphis with the University of Memphis campus.

Community activist Johnnie Mosley applauded the MATA board and administration for the new changes, and said he will continue to advocate for more transit funding from the city of Memphis and Shelby County.

MATA route and schedule changes 2 Madison

❚ – Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays: minor timing adjustments

❚ – Weekdays: adjust frequency to every 45 minutes at Hudson Transit Center on Alcy and Castalia trips to improve efficiency. Saturdays and Sundays: minor timing adjustments.

❚ – Weekdays: adjust frequency to every 45 minutes for current span of service to improve efficiency.

❚ – Weekdays and Saturdays: minor timing adjustments.

❚ – Weekdays and Saturdays: all trips will run the full length of the with adjusted frequency of every 120 minutes.

❚ – Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays: minor timing adjustments.

❚ – Routing change: service to Indian Hills Loop will occur on inbound instead of outbound trips. Weekdays: adjust frequency to every 60 minutes for all trips to improve efficiency.

❚ – Saturdays: adjust frequency to every 90 minutes for all trips to improve efficiency.

❚ – Saturdays: extend all trips to American Way Transit Center

4 Walker 6 Northaven 7 Air Park 9 Highland 11 Frayser Raleigh 12 Florida 13 Lauderdale 17 McLemore

with adjusted frequency of every 120 minutes.

❚ – Weekdays: adjust frequency to every 60 minutes to improve efficiency. Saturdays: adjust frequency to every 120 minutes to improve efficiency.

❚ – Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays: minor timing adjustments.

❚ – Routing Change: southbound on Tchulahoma to Holmes, Getwell to Shelby, and return along current routing. Weekdays and Saturdays: minor timing adjustments.

❚

19 Vollintine 26 Hickory Hill 28 Holmes 28L Airways Transit Center Limited Stop

– Routing change: eastbound on Shelby, right on Tchulahoma to Holmes to Getwell to IRS, and return inbound along the same routing. Weekdays: minor timing adjustments. Route number will be changed from “28L” to “280” to reduce confusion and will serve all stops on the route at regular fare.

❚ – Routing change: southbound on Watkins, right on Jackson, right on Bellevue, and left on Vollintine to continue current routing. Weekdays: adjust frequency to every 35 minutes for all trips for current span of service.

❚ – Weekdays and Saturdays: minor timing adjustments.

❚ – Route number will be changed from “34L” to “340” to reduce confusion and will serve all stops on the route at regular fare.

❚ – Weekdays: adjust frequency to every 40 minutes at Hudson Transit Center for all trips leaving before 6 p.m. to improve efficiency. Saturday and Sundays: minor timing adjustments.

❚ – Route number will be changed from “40L” to “400” to reduce confusion and will serve all stops on the route at regular fare.

❚ – Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays: minor timing adjustments.

❚ route.

❚ - Routing change: eastbound on Poplar to Highland to Central to Goodlett to Poplar, continue to end of route and return westbound on Poplar and then same routing. Weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays: minor timing adjustments.

❚ – Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays: minor timing adjustments.

❚ – Weekdays: minor timing adjustments.

31 Firestone 34 Walnut Grove 34L Walnut Grove Limited Stop 39 S. Third 40L Wolfchase Limited Stop 42 Crosstown 50 Poplar 52 Jackson 57 Park

– Eliminate