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Council presses MATA for books as interim CEO and board outline 100‑day overhaul
Summary
The MATA board and interim CEO presented a 100‑day plan for fleet and operational fixes Feb. 4, while council members demanded forensic financials before considering additional city funding. The budget committee split a requested $5 million for MATA out of a broader adjustment and sent the rest of the city budget changes forward.
A new MATA (Memphis Area Transit Authority) board and interim CEO outlined a rapid operational plan on Feb. 4, saying the agency has an older fleet, maintenance gaps, and a suspended trolley service that the board wants back in operation. The presentation prompted council members to press the administration and MATA for audited financials before approving additional city funds.
Emily Greer, chair of the MATA (Matter) Board of Commissioners, told the Transportation Committee the board’s top priorities include governance, fiscal stewardship and workforce development as the newly sworn board “spent countless hours” organizing oversight. "Transparency is the cornerstone of governance," Greer said.
Interim CEO John Lewis and the Transpro transformation team presented a 100‑day plan focused on fleet asset management, a sustainable bus replacement program, accelerated work on the Lehi Road maintenance facility and a timetable for reinstating the trolley service. Lewis said 56 buses are necessary to run the fixed‑route service and that only 46 were available for service on a recent day, noting "We have a hundred and three buses in MATA's fleet" but many are aged or not serviceable. Lewis said the trolley has been out of service since August 2024 and that Tenn. DOT signoff and safety testing remain part of reinstatement; estimates for a return ranged from weeks (optimistic) to months, with a mid‑to‑late summer target mentioned.
Council members repeatedly demanded audited and forensic financial statements before approving more city subsidy. Councilwoman Green said the board’s presentation did not substitute for the quarterly financials the council had requested and repeatedly flagged that $30 million earlier city funding appears spent. Walter Person, the city CFO, told the committee the forensic audit is expected by April; he said the city is rebuilding financial records and that the absence of a permanent MATA CFO for two years made reconstruction slow.
At a later budget committee meeting the same day, the council divided a request for additional transit funding: the broader FY25 budget adjustments were sent with a favorable recommendation to the full council, while a $5 million supplemental request for MATA was split off and sent to the next council meeting without a committee recommendation so members could seek more detailed financial data.
Council members said they supported keeping transit operational but expected regular, verifiable financial reporting and clearer revenue and expense detail before authorizing recurring or large one‑time appropriations.
