Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Transit topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Riders urge $20 million boost to Memphis transit funding as council holds budget item
Summary
Transit advocates and riders urged the Memphis City Council to increase the city’s transit investment from $32 million to $52 million and described service shortfalls — long waits, insufficient buses, and rider safety concerns — as the council held a third-quarter budget adjustment for two weeks.
Dozens of transit riders and advocates told the Memphis City Council on May 26 that the city must increase funding for Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) by $20 million to stabilize service, expand the fleet and reduce long waits.
Dorothy Connor, a volunteer with Better Transit for a Better Memphis, urged the council to increase “the city of Memphis investments in public transit from 32 to 52 million for the next fiscal year,” saying that increased public-transit investment spurs economic growth: “The American Public Transit Association estimates that every dollar spent on public transit produces $5 in growth in the gross domestic product.”
Ron Davis, an organizer with the Better Transit coalition, told the council that “MATA has about 56 buses running on a daily basis that serves about 50,000 daily riders. MATA needs over 70 buses to operate effectively and sufficient budget to maintain the fleet.” Several speakers said recent free-fare policies raised ridership and that routes and frequency cuts have left some neighborhoods without reliable service.
Speakers raised operational concerns including a lack of on-site supervisors at busy stations, poor customer-service interactions at call centers, and missing bus shelters at stops. Johnny Mosley, chairman of Citizens for Better Service, said service cuts appeared to have been implemented without board approval and raised a possible charter concern: “I think it's a violation of the city charter because the city charter gives that sole power to the MATA board.”
Council members did not adopt new transit funding at the May 26 meeting. Item 30 (a fiscal year 2026 third-quarter budget neutral adjustment) was called up but, after requests for clarification from the administration, a motion was made to hold the item for two weeks to allow further review. Council members and staff asked advocates to submit a concise bullet list of operational concerns so administration and interim MATA leadership can respond.
The council’s next action on the budget item is expected at the next regular meeting following the two‑week hold; advocates said they will press for the additional $20 million investment and for clearer timelines on bus purchases, route restorations and rider-safety improvements.
