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Joe Farmer urges county to end Greenlink funding and promotes full self‑driving as an alternative
Summary
Resident Joe Farmer told the committee Greenlink is financially unsustainable (he cited a $14.6 million budget vs. $800,000 revenue and a ~$27 per‑ride cost) and urged redirecting $3 million in county funding to other priorities while advocating for full self‑driving transit alternatives.
Joe Farmer, a Greenville resident, used the public‑comment period to criticize county funding of Greenlink and to promote full self‑driving vehicle technology as a county transportation strategy.
Farmer described Greenlink as financially troubled, citing figures he gave from his review: a $14.6 million budget versus $800,000 in revenue and a per‑ride cost he said was about $27. He argued that Greenlink covers too little of the county and that over half of county residents lack access to the system; he urged the county to stop funding the system and redirect roughly $3 million of county funding to other priorities such as roads, the sheriff’s office and affordable housing.
Farmer strongly endorsed full self‑driving vehicles as an alternative, asserting large private investment and adoption in other markets and saying he has personally invested in companies in the field. He described demonstrations he has seen and argued scale and regulatory approval are the primary barriers to roll‑out.
In back‑and‑forth with committee members, councilors clarified that cutting the county’s $3 million contribution could jeopardize a federal match Farmer referenced: Farmer said cutting the county share would result in a loss of the matching federal funds and could force the system to shut down. No formal county action or vote on Greenlink funding occurred at the meeting.
The committee did not take action during the meeting.
