Memphis is grappling with the realities of public transit in crisis, as the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) proceeds with slashing bus services and laying off a substantial portion of its workforce amidst a deep budget deficit. Last Friday, a community meeting at Union Valley Baptist Church, convened by advocacy groups Citizens for Better Service and the Memphis Bus Riders Union, became an epicenter of public discontent and a platform for collective action.
The gathering, as reported by Action News 5, saw stakeholders rally around those affected by MATA's proposal to eliminate 50% of its workforce. Yet, there's been a pivotal update: the number of layoffs has decreased significantly from over 200 to just above 50, Local Memphis reports. This comes as a slight reprieve to a commotion of unrest among union members and transit users, yet the community insists that any reduction in workforce, or bus routes, is detrimental.
As the service cuts loom, Memphis Mayor Paul Young has been commended for initiating an audit into MATA, fulfilling a promise made to the union. However, the transit authority's other planned adaptions—to solve a $67 million deficit by trimming daily routes from 23 to 16—are met with criticism. Sammie Hunter, co-chair of the Memphis Bus Riders Union, expressed in a statement obtained by Local Memphis, "We do not need this. We need a good transportation system here in the city of Memphis. A city of this magnitude needs a good transportation system."
Founder of Citizens for Better Service, Johnnie Mosley, emphasized the importance of the issue noting, "The fact of the matter is we’re not just talking about bus riders, we’re talking about taxpayers in this city. People forget that. We’re talking about young people trying to make something of their lives going to school, going to college," according to a Local Memphis interview. The layoffs and changes are expected to roll out in early November, with 17 trolley operators also laid off due to trolley system maintenance issues.
Next week's city council meeting is slated to be the next battleground where these groups plan to make their voices heard by city leaders directly. They're pushing for further reductions in layoffs and service cuts, seeking to influence decision-making that could helm, or further hinder the transit system that threads through the fabric of Memphis. For more information on the context and history of these civic actions, FOX13 Memphis offers insights into the efforts of both the Citizens for Better Service, working since 1993, and the Memphis Bus Riders Union, mobilizing since 2012 for improved bus services.
