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MATA reports 18% ridership increase during free‑fare period, trims budget gap to $4M
Summary
Interim MATA leadership said two weeks of free fares produced an 18% systemwide ridership increase and that targeted safety deployments reduced incidents by about 50%; trustees said procurement and maintenance actions and renegotiations have narrowed a projected FY26 shortfall from $16.5M to about $4M.
Memphis Area Transit Authority trustees and interim managers told council committees on Dec. 2 that the agency has recorded a notable uptick in ridership, progress on safety and a substantial reduction of its budget gap over the past 90 days.
"In the first 2 weeks of free fare, it has been extremely successful," Roderick Holmes, a trustee, said. MATA reported an 18% systemwide increase in ridership — roughly 3,000–4,000 additional daily boardings — with several popular routes up by more than 50%.
Interim finance and trustee staff said a combination of measures has driven improvement: targeted deployments of safety officers and staff training for de‑escalation correlated with about a 50% drop in incidents; new and replaced shelters and route signage improved passenger experience; and a partnership with Memphis Public Libraries will pilot an on‑route reading program. MATA said it is accelerating bus procurement and returning 15 units to service after focused maintenance.
On finances, trustees reported that a series of operational adjustments — workforce realignment, vendor renegotiations and prior‑year expense recoveries — reduced an FY26 budget gap from approximately $16.5 million to an estimated $4 million. Trustees cautioned that federal grant timing and other risks could alter the projection.
Trustees asked for another update in the first quarter of 2026; free fares remain in effect as the agency evaluates longer‑term funding options.
