Greenlink director outlines FY26 operating and capital budget, signals service upgrades and transit priorities

James (last name not specified), identified as Director for Greenlink, presented the transit agency's proposed FY26 operating and capital budget and described planned service and capital investments, including bus overhauls, transit signal priority pilots and a phased introduction of 30-minute peak service on several routes.

Why it matters: the budget and service changes affect residents who depend on fixed-route and demand-response transit, and the capital investments (engines, vehicle replacement and electrification grants) shape the fleet transition and maintenance costs. Several funding sources and intergovernmental matches underpin the plan.

Key budget figures and funding: staff presented an FY26 operating budget of nearly $13 million and an FY26 capital budget of about $3.8 million, for a combined budget of roughly $16.8 million. Staff said partner contributions planned for FY26 included approximately $2.0 million from the City of Greenville (cash on hand noted) and about $3.5 million from Greenville County; federal grants would provide the largest single share of capital funding (about $2.9 million in the presented capital plan). Staff described a long-term trend of growing city and county contributions since the director joined the agency.

Federal grants and program notes: staff said Greenlink receives multiple federal grant allocations and crosses two urbanized areas (Greenville and Mauldin-Simpsonville), which affects federal funding pots and eligibility. Staff described compliance with federal certifications and assurances and said current federal funds (including bipartisan infrastructure law programs) were not at risk for the FY26 plan.

Capital priorities and fleet: planned capital work includes nine buses scheduled for engine overhauls and a final round of work to extend diesel bus life toward federal useful-life milestones. Staff said the agency expects delivery of five battery-electric buses (low-no or no-emission buses) later in the year and that Greenlink will continue to pursue grant programs for bus and bus facility investments.

Service changes and performance: staff outlined a plan to pilot transit signal priority in targeted downtown corridors to improve on-time performance, starting with one downtown route and iterating before wider rollout. Staff also said the agency is preparing to implement expanded Saturday hours to match weekdays soon and to introduce 30-minute peak-frequency service on four routes during peak hours; staffing and driver training are in progress to support those changes (several drivers in training and some already solo-driving were noted). The phased approach to 30-minute service will begin with peak periods and specific routes rather than a universal rollout.

Trolley and special-event service: staff noted that trolley service is increasingly event-driven (baseball and special events) and that the agency is reconsidering how to allocate trolley resources versus regular-route service to better serve mobility needs.

Costs and operating pressures: staff said salary and benefits are up about 9% year over year (largely cost-of-living and insurance increases). Fuel costs have decreased about 15% year over year, reducing operating pressure in part. The capital budget for FY26 represents a significant year-over-year increase (about 64%), reflecting planned overhauls and equipment purchases.

Questions from council: Mayor White and council members asked about the timetable for 30-minute service and whether federal funding was secure. Staff said the 30-minute service rollout will be phased route by route and is expected to begin with peak periods later this summer and into early fall; staff said federal funding is not currently at risk.

Next steps: staff will finalize budget details with the Greenlink board and Greenville County budget processes; the FY26 plan is subject to those approvals and potential adjustments during the county's annual budget review. Staff will continue work on transit signal priority pilots and pursue federal grants for electric buses and facility improvements.