Residents urge commission to preserve CCAP public transportation as funding gap threatens routes
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Summary
Multiple riders and community leaders told commissioners that CCAP transit services are essential for medical care, work, and independence; CCAP’s CEO said local match for five Crawford County routes is $200,000 and the agency received $53,558.35 last year, leaving a $146,441.65 shortfall.
Several residents used the public-input portion of the Feb. 10 meeting to urge the commission to support CCAP Inc.’s public transportation in Crawford County.
Jimmy Whitney, CEO of CCAP Inc., outlined the funding structure for CCAP’s general public transportation: roughly 70% of operating funds come from federal and state sources, with the remaining 30% requiring a local match from county, city or private contributions. He said the local match needed for five Crawford County routes is $40,000 per route — $200,000 total — but that CCAP received $53,558.35 last year, leaving a projected shortfall of $146,441.65.
Neighborhood advisory council co-chair Jamie Lynn Bloom and other riders described how losing the service would cut off older adults, people with disabilities and residents without reliable vehicles from health care, jobs and groceries. "Losing this service will not just create inconvenience. It will create missed care, lost opportunity, and deeper hardship that ultimately cost our community more," Bloom said.
Students and riders added personal testimony about missed classes and medical appointments if the packed bus service ends. Commissioners heard calls to treat public transit as essential infrastructure and to pursue sustainable local funding and creative partnerships.
The city did not take a formal vote on funding for CCAP during the meeting; commissioners said they would consider the issue as part of the budget-review process and encouraged staff to continue discussions with CCAP and other stakeholders.
