West Memphis strikes new 3-year deal with MATA

West Memphis strikes new 3-year deal with MATA

Buses will keep rolling through city

news@theeveningtimes.com

Funding for the free ride through West Memphis on MATA has been secured for three more years. Reducing bus routes through the Wonder City paved the way to keep the buses rolling.

West Memphis City Planning Director Paul Luker said help from the West Memphis School District and the city contributing toward new green buses for MATA cinched the deal necessitated by the Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC) program ending.

Luker addressed the Metropolitan Planning Organization with the details in the May meeting and reported a drop in riders since the route consolidation. The ridership numbers dipped so low, Luker doubted the accuracy and asked MATA for a re-count.”

“I am not sure of our ridership since we redesigned the routes,” said Luker.

“I’ve asked MATA to make sure we are getting accurate counts because our ridership has dropped significantly.”

The schools reacted with some funds for MATA plus more school buses for students commuting to the Academies of West Memphis.

“I know the schools have used more buses in town than they had,” said Luker.

“That could be some of it.

It shouldn’t have dropped even though we reconfigured the routes. We are basically still serving the same areas at the same times.”

With JARC funds gone, funding for the local MATA route appeared to be sewn up for the near future.

“We are working out the funding issues of how to mesh all the pots of money to make it work,” said Luker. “Everybody has agreed it will work but we have not signed an agreement, but we are into the last details of getting everything worked out.”

“How long will we have funding for this agreement,” asked West Memphis Public Works Chairman and City Councilwoman Ramona Taylor.

“Right now it looks to be three years worth,” answered Luker.

By John Rech