By Logan Smith - bio | email
COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - The Midlands public transportation system is essentially out of money, according to a member of the board's Transportation Study Commission.
"It is beyond a mess," said board member Robert Liming. Liming said the Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority has no operational funds coming in until the end of the fiscal year on September 30, and is currently about $400,000 short of a $700,000 debt owed to a contractor.
The commission voted on Thursday to ask its legal adviser to draft ways to cut services in order to operate within the current fiscal constraints, according to Liming. Those cuts "could result in total curtailment/elimination of all service within weeks or even days," said Liming. "There simply is no money left to run current operations."
As the money runs out, tension rises at Columbia's Laurel Street Station. Riders worry about getting to work, and drivers worry about working at all. "They just need to allocate some money, because we need this," said Johnnie Hudgins. "We really need it."
"I don't depend on it for work, but I do depend on it," said Cynthia Delaney, one of many upset over learning the bus system has hit another financial big wall.
Liming worries the system itself -- not just certain routes -- could be at stake. "It's like your father being on life support," said Liming. "Do you turn off life support, or do you continue and keep life running in that transit system, and that's where this community is we're right at that point."
Liming said the CMRTA board plans to meet next Thursday to discuss possible options, and city and county councils will also consider plans for short-term funding lasting no longer than 90 days.
"It's not a choice, it's an absolute necessity for this community and we've got to do it," added Liming. "The mayor's trying to do that, county council is trying to do that, but they need to sit down and say 'we can't find a temporary solution, show me the money.' We've got to do this."
CMRTA is at the end of a two-year deal to keep buses running which involved Columbia kicking in an additional $1 million in transportation funding. Midlands leaders are examining ways to prolong and improve the bus system, and have taken on USC transportation chief Derrick Huggins as an advisor.
Huggins' plan involves cutting the size of the CMRTA board from 19 members to nine, hire a new executive to oversee operations, and bring in competitive bidding to keep costs down.
Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin said he is confident city council will support measures to make sure the bus system receives the funding it needs to continue running, and people should not be concerned that bus service will be interrupted.
The council is scheduled to meet on July 19 to discuss measures to make up for the funding shortfalls. The city is also asking that CMRTA accept an independent auditor to look at their finances, to which CMRTA has agreed.
Richland County Councilman Paul Livingston said they also plan to discuss the bus funding on July 19, and he believes there is support on the council to help pay for the funding to help CMTRA get through the fiscal year. He didn't say if the county would ask for stipulations from CMRTA in order to agree to provide funding.
Livingston said the renewal of the intergovernmental agreement between the city and county is not on the council's agenda for Tuesday, but he think it will be worked out in the next couple of months. Livingston said he believes it's important that the bus systems stays funded, but it's also important that it's done efficiently.
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USC transportation chief has big plans for CMRTA improvements
City leaders plan to revamp, rescue Midlands bus system
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