Memphis transit advocates seek answers on MATA leadership

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) -Two transit advocacy groups are calling for answers about the future of the Memphis Area Transit Authority amid ongoing concerns about bus service.

Citizens for Better Service and the Memphis Bus Riders Union are urging Mayor Paul Young to clarify when MATA operating trustee Rodrick Holmes will step down, when the new board will hold its first public meeting, and when it will hire a new MATA president with transit experience.

The group said Monday that Young promised in September that Holmes would leave in November.

The groups said riders continue to face broken-down buses, missed routes, and unreliable service. They said the board, appointed and confirmed in September, has not met to address the agency’s problems.

“Bus riders cannot afford to wait any longer for a reliable bus service to their jobs, schools, and medical appointments,” said Cynthia Bailey, co-chair of the Memphis Bus Riders Union.

In September, MATA was ranked among the lowest-ranked cities for transit service.

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