NashTransit

I've been thinking about starting this blog for a few years now. Here's what finally got me off my duff and do it: Nashville MTA Press Release April 22, 2008

The Metropolitan Transit Authority will hold several public hearings regarding a potential fare adjustment; the possible removal or reduction of several bus routes; possible reductions in service on all MTA routes, including the elimination of night service, Saturday, Sunday and holiday service as well as Night Owl service; and possible reductions of the ADA AccessRide service to areas within 1.5 miles of regular service routes.

As a result of increasing diesel fuel and related operating costs, the MTA is facing challenges within its operating budget this year. To deal with this budget issue, the authority is considering five possible scenarios for fare adjustment ranging from a 5-cent to 25-cent increase to the base fare as well as associated adjustments in the prices of unlimited passes and other multi-fare media.

Specifically, MTA is considering the removal or changes to the following routes: 1 Vine Hill; 2 Belmont; 8 8th Avenue South; 13 Sylvan Park; 16 Madison/Old Hickory; 18 Airport/Elm Hill Pike; 30 McFerrin; 31X Harpeth Valley Express; 37X Tusculum/McMurray Express; 41 Golden Valley; and 45X Oak Hill Express.

While I'm often disappointed by MTA's rather quiet style of getting bad news out, the real tragedy is the budget they're facing this year. Assuming a current level of service, their budget would have to go up by $2.5 million, most of that due to increasing gas prices. However their subsidy is going down, by $400,000. This is following a record-breaking year in ridership, due to - wait for it - rising gas prices.

Let's go over this again. People ride the bus more because of rising gas prices, but rising gas prices makes the bus system more expensive to operate. Allowing these cuts to happen just leaves the bus system a far less attractive option.

Yes, money is tight all over the city budget, but this is nuts.

I admit that I have a personal stake in all this, since one of the bus routes slated to be cut is one that I have depended on daily for over seven years. It's not the most heavily used routes on the system map, but it serves some pretty important locations. My personal situation aside, the system-wide cutting of weekends and evenings should be a chilling thought for everybody who uses MTA on a regular basis.

Mayor Karl Dean says, "in two years, we'll be doing more" to bring more transit options to town, just not now. I wonder how the city's budget will be doing by then. How much more will gas cost?

Anyway, there's my initial venting. I'd appreciate some feedback, and if anyone out there would like to post further about this or other issues regarding getting around in Nashville, drop me a line and I might just give you a soapbox.

# posted by dotsandlines @ 7:57 PM