Tag: MATA

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MATA to Restore Three Bus Routes Throughout Memphis

CREDIT: Justin Fox Burks

Justin Fox Burks

After discussions with the Memphis City Council, the Memphis Bus Riders Union, Citizens for Better Service, and the Boxtown Neighborhood Association, the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) announced that fixed route service will be resuming formerly retired routes.

The Route 6 Northaven, 31 Firestone, and 38 Boxtown will resume effective Monday, September 14th. The routes had been temporarily reduced in response to COVID-19. 

The resuming routes are listed below. 

Route 6: Weekday service only, frequency every 45 minutes from 5:40-9 a.m. and 3:15-6:15 p.m.

Route 31: Weekday service only, frequency every 35 minutes from 6-8 a.m. and 3:15-6:15 p.m.

Route 38: Weekday service only, frequency every 90 minutes from 5:30 a.m.-7 p.m.

The resumption of routes comes amid a push by MATA to implement a new on-demand micro-transit project in Boxtown, Westwood, and parts of Whitehaven in 2021. The project’s goal is to improve access to its fixed route service and combat declining ridership.

During the announcement, MATA also revealed that they would be making general service improvements. MATA plans to go into detail on the extent of the improvements via public virtual meetings occurring on September 8th and 12th.

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Bus Riders Union Member ‘Happy’ to See County Step up with MATA Funding


The Shelby County Commission approved a $2.5 million allocation in CIP (capital improvement plan) funds to the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) last week, which the agency plans to invest in three projects.

Since then, many, including representatives of the Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope (MICAH) who have played a prominent role in the conversation about transit funding, have lauded the commission for making the investment. MICAH leaders said now, and as the regional economy begins to heal, a public transit system is critical.

Justin Davis of the Memphis Bus Riders Union (MBRU) expressed similar sentiments, saying the group is “happy to see the county stepping up to help fund MATA, especially in times like these.”

CEO of MATA Gary Rosenfeld told the county commission that the agency plans to use the funds to implement a demand-response system in the entertainment district and the Westwood/Boxtown area, a mini-transit station near Third and Brooks, and an investment in the Bus Rapid Transit project. All three projects are in line with MATA’s Transit Vision Plan.

Davis said the MBRU supports MATA’s proposal of a demand-response system in Boxtown/Westwood, as the area has been a big focus of the group for a while.

Davis said if the demand-response model is successful and has community support in Boxtown/Westwood, then MATA should consider using that model in other low-density neighborhoods that don’t have frequent service, like Northaven.

Rosenfeld said he expects to see the demand-response system introduced in the entertainment district and in Boxtown/Westwood before the end of the year. Moving forward, Rosenfeld said, MATA is “embracing the new transit paradigm” and will consider implementing this service and other forms of alternative transit models in the future in additional neighborhoods. The Transit Vision plan calls for alternate forms of transportation in about six areas with low ridership density.

Another project MATA plans to invest in, the $75 million Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, mostly funded by federal grants, will be a high-frequency route from Downtown to the University of Memphis.

Davis said many MBRU members are “deeply concerned” about continued investments in Midtown and Downtown, as these areas already have the most reliable bus service.

“It’s vital that MATA starts filling in the huge gaps in their infrastructure in places like North, South, and Southeast Memphis so that riders in those places can stay connected to their basic necessities and get higher quality service,” he said.

However, Rosenfeld said the project is federally funded and needs continued local support in order to maintain federal match dollars. He also said that it will benefit a number of bus riders, not just those living in Midtown and Downtown.

“It’s a community development project that will enhance the opportunities for any bus rider whose ride intersects with the BRT,” he said. “The BRT will improve their connection time and improve their access to jobs within the corridor. Although I understand the Bus Riders Union’s concerns, we can’t just turn our back on a project that we have received funding for on the federal level.”

Rosenfeld added that MATA is not investing in this project on a whim, but that the project was previously selected out of 26 alternate transit projects. The BRT is “well thought-out plans tested against formulas to make sure the federal government gets the maximum return on its investments and that our community gets the maximum return on local dollars.”

He noted that based on the design of the BRT, ridership is likely to increase by between 25 and 50 percent. “There aren’t a lot of other routes in our network or alignments that would even come close to that increase in ridership.”

The BRT project is currently in the development phase. Rosenfeld said he anticipates the service coming online in late 2023 or early 2024.

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News The Fly-By

Week That Was: Lawsuit, COVID-19 Numbers, and MATA

CREDIT: Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University

This map shows new coronavirus cases by ZIP code reported over the last 10 days.

Vanderbilt Downgrades Numbers

Vanderbilt University researchers have downgraded COVID-19 numbers across the state in a new report that shows an improving situation here but does not account for the reopening of the state’s economy.

Three weeks ago, researchers with the school said the state’s virus situation remained “fragile and uncertain.” That report looked ahead at when (or if) the state would need to, once again, close its economy if spikes in the virus returned and hospitals got swamped.

The new report does not contain the words fragile or uncertain. Instead, it shows just how much the data and its model have changed since the first report in early April.

For one, the April report predicted the transmission rate (the number of people infected by one person) would reduce to 1.0 by mid-May. That number was reached — statewide, anyway — by mid-April. Current transmission rates in Memphis and Nashville hover around 1.0, according to the paper. All of this changed their predictions altogether.

MLK50 Sues the City

Wendi Thomas

The editor of local news organization MLK50: Justice Through Journalism is suing the city of Memphis for refusing to include her on its media advisory lists.

The complaint was filed in federal court Wednesday by attorneys for the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the press on behalf of Wendi Thomas, editor, publisher, and founder of MLK50.

The lawsuit alleges that the city, along with Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland and chief communications officer Ursula Madden, violated the U.S. and Tennessee constitutions by repeatedly denying Thomas’ requests to add her email address to the media advisory list.


MATA CEO Talks Money

The city’s proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal 

year allocates $10 million less to the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) than this year’s.

In Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland’s proposed budget, which he presented to the Memphis City Council earlier this month, MATA would get a little under $19.2 million in fiscal year 2021, down from this year’s amount of $29.2 million.

Justin Fox Burks

However, Gary Rosenfeld, CEO of MATA, said he does not anticipate this affecting the agency’s ability to provide services over the next year, largely due to a substantial stimulus package from the federal government.

Under the federal CARES Act, MATA is slated to receive approximately $35.7 million in aid. Rosenfeld said the guidelines for spending CARES Act funds for transit is fairly liberal.

“This money is available and we will charge whatever we can legitimately charge to these accounts,” he said. “We should not see any type of degradation of service because of the city’s financial situation. We should be okay as long as we move cautiously and make sure every expenditure we want to use the stimulus package for is legitimate based on the rules and regulations.”

Graceland to Reopen

Graceland is reopening on Thursday, May 21st, and you won’t have to fight the crowds.

Like other attractions that are easing back into operation, there are changes that focus on social distancing, capacity, and health and safety guidelines. Mansion tours are being reduced to 25 percent capacity and restaurants will be at 50 percent capacity with outdoor patio seating available. The Elvis Presley’s Memphis exhibition complex will also limit the number of visitors.

Other changes include having Graceland employees wearing masks and guests being encouraged to wear masks. There will be temperature checks for guests and employees, enhanced cleaning and sanitization procedures, social distancing markers, hand sanitization stations, and touchless payment options.

The Horseshoe Casino, Tunica

Horseshoe Tunica to Resume Gaming

Horseshoe Tunica will resume gaming operations at 8 a.m. Thursday, May 21st. The casino will operate at 50 percent capacity in accordance with the Phase One Casino Reopening Guidelines issued by the Mississippi Gaming Commission.

Slot machine banks will be arranged to allow for social distancing, and table games will be offered with limited seating. Poker, the Sportsbook, Village Square Buffet, the Laurel Lounge, and the WSOP bar will remain closed until further notice. They are expected to reopen in phases according to public health authorities and consumer demand. A full list of the amenities that will be available is at Horseshoe Tunica’s website here.

Clock Tower Comes Down

The massive clock tower that straddled the trolley tracks on Civic Center Plaza is gone. It was demolished this week by crews making way for new developments Downtown.

This is the briefest of descriptions for the demolition given by officials in the city of Memphis website:

“Beginning Friday, May 8th, at 7 a.m., and lasting until Thursday, May 21st, Main Street between Poplar Avenue and Adams Avenue will be closed to traffic. The section of Main Street around the area of the [Memphis Area Transit Authority — MATA] clock tower will be fenced off to allow public works in association with MATA to demolish the structure.”

The tower had to go, specifically, to make way for the development of the Loews Hotel (below), which is to be built on Civic Center Plaza.

Vehicle traffic will run on Main Street right where the clock tower stood earlier this week, according to Robert Knecht, director of the city’s public works department, which is overseeing the Main Street project. You can sort of get the gist of the thing in this image:

Pepper Rodgers Passes Away
Pepper Rodgers, who was head coach of the Memphis Showboats of the USFL in the mid-1980s, has died at age 88. A former football player, Rodgers also was head coach of the Canadian Football League’s expansion Memphis Mad Dogs in the mid-1990s.

He and his wife, Livingston, lived in Reston, Virginia.

Born in Atlanta, Rodgers was a quarterback and kicker for Georgia Tech. He was later the head coach at Kansas, UCLA, and Georgia Tech.

He’s the author of the 1985 novel, Fourth and Long Gone, and his autobiography, Pepper, which he wrote with Al Thorny.

Longtime friend Steve Ehrhart, AutoZone Liberty Bowl executive director, says, “He was one of the most creative and clever and ingenious people — not just a football coach. He was a very bright and intelligent guy. He always shook up the coaching world wherever he was.”

People Are Walking, Biking More

The number of people biking and walking here is higher than usual, according to new data from the city.

The city’s Bikeway and Pedestrian Program looked at data from nine automatic bicycle and pedestrian counters installed at different spots around the city that revealed a surge in activity, largely corresponding to the city’s Safer-At-Home order issued in late March.

The counters located in parks, along trails, and on city streets detect passing bikes and pedestrians to provide a total count of both modes or a combined count.

Survey Reveals Business Needs, Concerns

Businesses here are concerned about revenue, cash flow, and employee well-being, according to an ongoing survey conducted by the Greater Memphis Chamber.

The Chamber surveyed 600 businesses across the city to assess the impact that the COVID-19 outbreak is having on business and their arising needs.

The results include responses from surveys given between March 19th and 23rd, and then again between April 22nd and 27th.

There are 20 industries represented in the surveys, including manufacturing, real estate, restaurants, and entertainment. Of the 600 respondents, 55 percent indicated they were women-or-minority-owned businesses. Nearly three quarters of respondents estimated that their business is down year over year for February through April compared to the same time period last year, while 25 percent indicated business was about the same during those months. For the majority of affected businesses, or 20 percent, business is down between 11 and 20 percent.

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MATA CEO Talks Funding, Frustrations, and the Future

CREDIT: Facebook/MATA

Facebook/MATA

The city’s proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year allocates $10 million less to the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) than this year’s.

In Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland’s proposed budget, which he presented to the Memphis City Council last week, MATA would get a little under $19.2 million in fiscal year 2021, down from this year’s amount of $29.2 million.

However, Gary Rosenfeld, CEO of MATA, said he does not anticipate this affecting the agency’s ability to provide services over the next year, largely due to a substantial stimulus package from the federal government.

Under the federal CARES Act, MATA is slated to receive approximately $35.7 million in aid. Rosenfeld said the guidelines for spending CARES Act funds for transit is fairly liberal.

“This money is available and we will charge whatever we can legitimately charge to these accounts,” he said. “We should not see any type of degradation of service because of the city’s financial situation. We should be okay as long as we move cautiously and make sure every expenditure we want to use the stimulus package for is legitimate based on the rules and regulations.”

Rosenfeld said MATA has spent a “considerable amount of money” in response to the coronavirus, on expenditures such as PPE, cleaning, and hazard pay for employees.

These expenses can potentially be offset by CARES Act funds, he said: “We don’t anticipate a negative impact on this fiscal year.”

Service will continue, but there likely won’t be enough funds to make significant improvements in the upcoming year, based on the city’s budget. MATA was also on track to receive a $10 million investment from Shelby County next year.

Since September, Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris, backed by a number of county commissioners and community members, has been leading the charge to generate dedicated funding for MATA.

Harris’ proposal to generate the funds would have implemented an annual fee of $145 for a household’s third vehicle. Early this year two county commissioners presented an alternate plan that would have increased the countywide motor vehicle tax, also known as the wheel tax, by $20 for every vehicle owner.

[pullquote-1]

But in the midst of a pandemic and economic uncertainty, both plans have been thwarted. Now, Harris is proposing to increase the wheel tax by $16.50 but to supplement the county’s budget.

“Given the financial situation of the city and the county as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, I don’t think the county is going to move forward with that plan, at least not for this next fiscal year,” Rosenfeld said.

MATA was planning to use the additional funds to make major improvements along the agency’s core routes that would have increased service frequency.

With these improvements, Rosenfeld said 80 percent of riders would have been able to get from point A to point B in less than an hour. “Well that’s going to be on hold for a bit, and that’s unfortunate. As we plan to bring routes back on line in the future, we will be looking to make changes to bring our routes in line with the transit vision plan. Any opportunity we get to move in that direction, we will certainly be doing that.”

On Board

Rosenfeld said the level of service MATA is able to provide is being affected by the pandemic, but the agency is doing its best to meet passengers’ needs. 

Per city guidelines, which heed the advice by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 10 passengers are allowed on MATA buses at a time.

“There’s still social distancing issues, and that puts a limit on the resources available to provide service to the community,” Rosenfeld said. “We’re having to run three or four buses to provide the same level of service that one or two buses did before. That’s also additional costs.”

Rosenfeld said he believes MATA has been “fairly successful” at filling the gaps with extra buses to shorten wait times and maintain continuity of service.

Typically carrying about 22,000 passengers in a given day, MATA has had between 7,000 and 8,000 passengers a day since the pandemic began. Rosenfeld said these numbers are similar to other transit agencies across the country since COVID-19 has caused ridership to decrease: “So from a statistical standpoint, we’re doing good.”

Still he knows service hasn’t been “100 percent accurate” and is aware that customers are frustrated.

“Have we received complaints from the public that they don’t like the route network in its current form?” Rosenfeld said. “Certainly, we have. We share that frustration with customers in the fact that we have had to limit our core network. We also fully understand that it’s frustrating to have a bus pass when there are ten people on a bus already and you can’t get on.

[pullquote-2]“However, the safety of passengers and employees is of greater concern to us. We’re making these decisions with their safety in mind. It may not necessarily be with their convenience in mind, but it certainly is with their safety.”

Rosenfeld also urges employers to recognize some of the inconveniences that transit riders are facing now and be understanding.

Preparing for the Future

From fare boxes to reopening its transit centers, Rosenfeld said MATA has a lot to consider as it returns to “normal.”

“When we resume fare collection, what is that going to look like?” Rosenfeld said. “The fare box will still be something that everybody is touching and it’ll be taking money that’s dirty. So we’re reviewing what that will look like. What technology is available to enable us to be able to collect fare safely.”

MATA is also looking at how to change the seating configuration on its buses so that passengers can practice proper social distancing, while also considering what type of barriers can be installed on board to protect bus operators.

“We’re looking at all of these things and trying to gain as much information as possible,” Rosenfeld said. “I’d be foolish to say I know what tomorrow is going to bring. There’s a lot of information out there. Rules keep changing. We do a lot of work to find out the guidance has changed and now the end zone is in a different place.”

Rosenfeld said this is one reason why MATA has to take a cautious approach, especially when it comes to how to allocate the CARES funds.

“If we invest it too quickly, we might find that we are overspending on one thing and not spending enough on something else,” he said.

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News The Fly-By

Week That Was: Coronavirus Hot Spots, Graduations, and Clean Water

Map shows coronavirus concentration, colleges seek alternative graduation plans, groups want to postpone water permits

Commencement Canceled
The coronavirus pandemic has upended all parts of life and halted plans here, around the country, and across the globe — from weddings to funerals to long-awaited graduation ceremonies.

Thus, colleges in the Memphis area have begun looking at alternative ways to celebrate their seniors. Those alternatives include virtual ceremonies, in-person ceremonies at a later date, or combined spring 2021 ceremonies.

Travel Distance
Travel distance in Shelby County was among the top in the country on Friday, according to a report by The New York Times.

Using anonymous cell phone data from 15 million people, The Times released a report on Thursday morning showing travel patterns in every county in the country.

On Friday, March 27th, residents of Shelby County traveled an average of 2.5 miles (see below). It’s 12th on the list of average travel distances in counties with more than 500,000 residents. Florida had the most counties listed, followed by Utah, California, and Oklahoma.

Call 311
What can you do if you see someone violating the city’s Safer at Home order?

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said Memphians can call 311 to report violations of the order.

Dan Springer, chief media affairs officer for the city, confirmed that this order also applies to private gatherings at residences. If a neighbor witnesses a gathering or disregard of social distancing guidelines, they can call 311, and Memphis Police Officers or other city employees will respond.

Coronavirus Hot Spots
New data from the Shelby County Health Department shows the county’s highest concentrations of coronavirus are in Cordova, East Memphis, and South Memphis.

The ZIP codes with the highest coronavirus are 38106, 38108, 38028, 38119, 38120, and 38109 — all with between 28 and 40 cases each. Downtown and Midtown ZIP codes have between 12 and 20 cases.

Mental Health Help
Shelby County employees will now have access to unlimited virtual counseling services, Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris announced last week.

The expansion of employee benefits will allow all county employees to receive video, phone, or in-person counseling for free, regardless of if employees are insured through the county.

Art Funds
ArtsMemphis is allocating $50,000 to provide funding to artists most impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and its economic consequences.

The flexible funding will be used to help in recovering from lost income due to canceled events, job layoff, or furlough. Applications are being accepted from self-employed artists of all arts disciplines as well as artists employed or contracted by nonprofit arts and culture organizations in Shelby County.

Artists may request up to $500 to compensate for work that was scheduled or contracted and canceled or lost. The fund is not available to compensate for potential future loss of business or income.

Essential Service
With a smaller staff and a slightly different set of operating procedures, CHOICES, one of two clinics in the city that performs abortions, is still open and providing services.

Katy Leopard, assistant director of CHOICES, said the clinic’s call volume has been up, some staff members are working from home, and the clinic has had to decrease the number of patients it sees, but services will continue. CHOICES’ main focus, she said, has been to provide the essential services patients need, while ensuring that staff and patients remain safe and healthy.

Job Loss
The Memphis metro area could lose around 20 percent of all jobs due to the coronavirus, according to a new report from the Brookings Institute.

The report analyzed metros from across the country, predicting which ones would be hardest hit by the pandemic. Not all areas will be hit the same, according to the think tank. Those with concentrated energy sectors like mining, oil, and gas will likely be hardest hit. Hit hard, too, will be metros with concentrations of transportation, employment services, travel arrangements, and tourism (like Memphis).

Coronavirus Projections
About 1,067 Tennesseans will die from coronavirus.

Tennessee won’t run short of hospital beds or ICU beds during the coronavirus pandemic, and the state can expect to see 26 deaths per day until a peak of 35 deaths in one day on April 26th.

Those are projections released late last week by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine.

Park Access
The city began limiting access to public parks last week. This comes as hundreds of people have been flocking to city parks as the temperatures rise in the city. Last week, many noticed the large crowds of park-goers and took to social media to express concern.

Strickland moved to limit the number of people in parks, by restricting the number of cars allowed in parks. To aid this effort, Riverside Drive and “as many roads in and around parks that the fire marshal will let me” will close.

Clean Water
Clean-water advocacy groups are asking state officials to postpone new water permits until after coronavirus orders have been lifted here to ensure the public has a say on projects that affect the “lives and lands of Tennesseans.”

State officials can now legally hold meetings electronically. But members of the Tennessee Clean Water Network (TCWN) and more say public input is vital to decisions that allow permits under the federal Clean Water Act. These permits include permissions to pollute or to alter a stream, river, lake, or wetland.

The request was formalized in a letter to Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and members of his administration Monday.

Maintaining Access
Though understanding the need for the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) to reduce its service amid the spread of coronavirus, a spokesperson for the Memphis Bus Riders Union (MBRU) still worries how the cuts will limit people’s access to necessary locations in the city.

MATA announced late last month that it would be reducing its service in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in the community and the number of businesses across the city that cannot currently operate, due to orders by the mayors of Shelby County and Memphis.

Justin Davis, secretary of the Memphis Bus Riders’ Union, said the group understands MATA’s need to adjust its service hours and coverage for public health reasons, but wants to ensure people are still able to access the services they need.

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MATA to Reduce Service as COVID-19 Spreads, Businesses Ordered to Close

CREDIT: Facebook/MATA

Facebook/MATA

The Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) is reducing its service in response to the spread of COVID-19.

As of Thursday afternoon, there were 198 confirmed cases of the disease in Shelby County.

Beginning Monday, March 30th, MATA will operate its Sunday schedule, along with a few additional routes to essential services every day until further notice. MATA said this is in response to the number of businesses that cannot currently operate due to orders by the mayors of Shelby County and Memphis.

These bus routes will be in service:

Trolleys will operate on the following schedule:

MATAplus paratransit service will be available from 4:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. every day, but will only transport passengers to work, medical care, grocery stores, or other essential businesses.

MATA is offering free fare on all of its vehicles until April 30th. Earlier this week, MATA announced a list of social distancing guidelines for riders, including limiting the amount of passengers allowed on each bus. 

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MATA Tightens Social Distancing Guidelines for Riders

CREDIT: Memphis Area Transit Authority

Memphis Area Transit Authority

The Memphis Area Transit Authority is rolling out an updated set of guidelines Tuesday evening as the city’s Stay at Home order goes into effect.

MATA will continue its normal services, but with a few changes on board and at its facilities. The changes will be in effect until April 7th, but could be extended if the city extends the Stay at Home order.

On buses:

・No more than 10 people will be allowed on fixed-route buses and trolley cars at a time

・Every other row on fixed route buses and trolley cars will be blocked to maintain social distance and encourage customers to sit apart

・No more than two passengers on MATAplus paratransit vehicles

・MATA will only transport MATAplus customers to essential destinations, such as work, medical appointments, grocery stores, and pharmacies.

MATA facilities:

・MATA’s headquarters, 1370 Levee Road, is closed to the public

・The trolley facility, 547 North Main, is closed to the public

・The Assessment Center at the Airways Transit Center is closed to the public

・The customer lobby areas and public restrooms at each transit center are closed

・The customer service counters will remain open every day from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

・Customers will be allowed three at a time to access the customer service counters

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MATA Implements Social Distancing Rules on Board, Considers Service Cuts

CREDIT: Justin Fox Burks

Justin Fox Burks

As the number of COVID-19 cases continue to increase in the county, the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) rolled out social distancing measures on all of its buses and facilities, while considering service reductions. 

Beginning Sunday, customers were encouraged to use every other seat on fixed-route buses. No more than two passengers are allowed on MATAplus paratransit vehicles, including personal care attendants.

MATA also closed its Assessment Center, as well as the lobby and public restrooms at each of its transit centers until further notice. However, the customer service counters at the centers will remain open every day from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. But security officers will allow only three people in the building at a time to access the customer service counters.

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The agency also continues to perform daily cleanings and sanitizing of its buses and shelters.

For now, MATA is continuing to operate normal services, but officials are considering service modifications as ridership continues to decline as the number of COVID-19 cases rise in the community.

“Public transportation is a critical service in the community,” a statement from MATA reads. “While it is vital that some levels of public transportation continue since MATA serves customers who may not have access to any other transportation to get to work, to the grocery store, and to healthcare facilities, reducing service is likely unavoidable.”

Gary Rosenfeld, MATA CEO, said the entire public transportation industry is feeling the financial burdens of COVID-19, but that the agency is “working diligently to continue to operate in a manner that allows for the best service that we can provide at this time.”


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Opinion The Last Word

Make MATA Free: Improve the Lives of Thousands of Memphians

(Photo: Justin Fox Burks)

Last spring I found myself in a position of unimaginable privilege. For the first time in my adult life, I had a car that worked and was paid off. No weird rattles, squeaking brakes, bald tires. I hate the term “adulting” for philosophical reasons, but it was one of those times in my life that made me think “so this is what it’s like.”

Then I started anticipating the inevitable break-in, wreck, or other misfortune that would set me back again and put me in my cosmic place. “Just watch,” I’d say. “Something’s going to fall out of the sky and land on my car because I don’t deserve this.”

A month later, as a chunk of road debris hurtled toward my windshield on I-40, I thought, “Well, there it is.”

Justin Fox Burks

What’s the MATA?

The damage turned out to be minor, but being virtually carless for a couple weeks reminded me how difficult it is to thrive in Memphis without a vehicle. My home and my office are two miles apart, putting me on the road a grand total of 10 minutes a day. I know I have it easy. But I tried to plot a bus route home from work and MATA’s trip planner told me “LOL, walk” — which I did, a couple times. And let me tell you, it sucked! If that’s more optimal than the bus, we’ve got a problem with the bus.

I can shrug and catch an Uber, but someone who has to schlep across town for a $7.25-an-hour job does not have that luxury. The bus ride from Whitehaven to Downtown takes about an hour one-way, not including the wait. Anyone who doesn’t have access to a car has their opportunities limited by the number of hours in a day. I’m heartened by the county mayor’s commitment to transit equity, and I’d love to see MATA viewed less as the nuisance in the right lane on Poplar and more as a reliable way to get around. Improving and expanding service are obviously high priorities for increasing ridership, but there’s one more way to get people to hop on.

The New York Times last month published a story about a growing trend in cities that have seen bus ridership increase up to 60 percent. All they had to do was waive the fare. Should Memphis try something similar? Yes, it sounds counterintuitive, as the city and county look to infuse more money into MATA, not less. But public transportation can’t work unless it’s an option for everyone, versus the only option for some. There are two ways to do that: Make it convenient, and make it affordable. $1.75 a ride seems affordable, until you factor in the time investment and the fact that $70 a month does not fit everyone’s definition of “affordable.”

“Oh, but who will pay for it?” Let’s just get this out of the way: the same people who pay for every other public good. I have little patience for those who bristle at paying for services they don’t use, as if we could allocate our taxes to the projects we care about. I don’t have kids, and my house hasn’t burned down yet, but here I am, still dutifully paying for schools and the fire department. If you live in Cordova and have never seen a bus, I’m sorry to hear it — but you chose the Germantown Parkway lifestyle, friend. And you’re contributing to the road congestion and pollution that better public transit would solve.

Actually, that makes a pretty good case for a toll. How about, say, $1.75 each way for commuters on 240 and 385? While cities that waived bus fares saw an increase in ridership, they didn’t see a decrease in the number of cars on the road. This is because people who ride the bus generally don’t have cars. Such is the case in Memphis, where bus riders typically live in poorer neighborhoods. Why should they pay to be part of the solution?

In addition to the wheel tax the county commission is considering, there are other car-centric ways to fund free transit. On any given day in Midtown, the city could make a boatload ticketing cars parked illegally on the street — too close to the corner, in no-parking zones, in front of fire hydrants. Maybe some incentives could encourage businesses to dig in and support a transit fund. Who knows? It’s not impossible to make transportation a right, not a privilege.

Jen Clarke is a digital marketing specialist and an unapologetic Memphian.

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Mayor Harris: ‘It’s Time to Seal the Deal’ on Transit Funding


The conversation about adequate funding for the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) continued Tuesday — a day deemed Transit Equity Day.

Transit Equity Day 2020, which marks the 106th birth anniversary of Rosa Parks, is a collaborative effort by several organizations and unions across the country to promote public transit as a civil right and strategy to combat climate change.

Here, the Sierra Club Chickasaw Group organized a press conference to speak on the importance of transit and the barriers that are still in place and limiting residents’ — particularly those of color and those living in low-income areas — access transit.

This comes as the Shelby County Commission considers a strategy to invest dedicated funding in MATA. The discussion began in September when Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris proposed a $145 sustainability fee for households with more than three vehicles. Now, the county commission is considering a $20 wheel tax increase.

Marquita Bradshaw, Environmental Justice Chair for the Sierra Club Chickasaw Group spoke of transit and environmental justice Tuesday: “Transit equity has everything to do with environmental justice.”

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“Environmental justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies,” Bradshaw said. “Transit equity is a plan to justly transition away from climate change. The root of climate change is pollution. People with lower incomes not only have problems accessing transit to get to work, but they also deal with the burden of pollution.”

Allison Donald of the Memphis Center for Independent Living, also at Tuesday’s press conference, said Memphis is at a “pivotal point” as it relates to funding transit.

“We must understand on the 106th birthday of Rosa Parks, that transit justice is not a new fight, not only for Memphis but for other underserved communities around the country,” Donald said. “Funding for public transportation is necessary not only for our city to grow, but it brings businesses, better educational opportunities for underserved children in underserved communities, and it gives people an opportunity to do what communities are supposed to do — connect.”

The most recent resolution to fund transit before the commission is sponsored by Commissioner Brandon Morrison. The proposal includes a $20 increase to the vehicle privilege that would generate $12.8 million. Of that $9 million would go to MATA and the remaining $3.8 million would support the hiring of 51 new sheriff deputies in areas soon to be de-annexed from Memphis.

In January, the commission voted to delay voting on the resolution, sending the proposal back to the commission’s general government committee. The commissioners decided at that meeting to send the measure to an ad hoc committee.

In order for the wheel tax proposal to pass, at least nine members, or two-thirds of the Shelby County Commission, must vote in favor of the move at two consecutive meetings.

Harris, who was at Tuesday’s press conference said securing the funding is a “huge challenge,” but he believes the resolution is close to garnering the nine votes it needs to pass.

“I think it’s time to seal the deal,” Harris said. “How do we seal the deal from here? We’ve got to get that ninth vote. We feel like we’re sitting at a soft eight and we need that ninth vote. We’re working real hard to build comfort with the commissioners so that we can get to a place where at least nine commissioners are prepared to vote on dedicated funding for transit.”

Some commissioners maintain that their constituents, mainly those living in the suburbs, don’t support the increase as they don’t use public transit and won’t benefit from increased funding for it.

“There’s a benefit to all of us from transit,” Harris said. “We’re trying everything except for the kitchen sink to try and identify that ninth vote. We think we’re on the way. We have a great case that’s been made and a broad coalition. We trust that the commissioners will see we can’t be about just talking about issues. We have to be about action.”

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Harris said with upwards of $10 million invested in MATA each year, there will be over one million new transit rides generated.

Courtney McNeal with Innovate Memphis, who worked closely with MATA to develop the Transit Vision Plan, said a key focus when creating the plan was job accessibility.

With the implementation of the Transit Vision Plan, McNeal said there would be a 39 percent increase in job accessibility within an hour for all residents, a 45 percent increase for minority residents, and a 49 percent increase for residents living in low-income neighborhoods.

MATA CEO Gary Rosenfeld said his group “stands ready” to implement the Transit Vision Plan, which “goes so far in delivering quality service and opportunity to the community as a whole.”


Last month, the mayor set an informal, 30-day deadline for the passage of a resolution to fund MATA, but it does not look like the commission will make that deadline. 



Now, the the $20 wheel tax and other funding options for MATA are being discussed in a series of six ad hoc committee meetings, co-chaired by Commissioners Tami Sawyer and Mick Wright. The committee has been tasked with returning to the commission with recommendations about how to move forward.

All meetings run from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. and are open to the public. See the dates and locations below.

2/4 – Monumental Baptist Church, 704 S Parkway East

2/11 – Hickory Hill Community Center, 2910 Ridgeway Road

2/18 – Hollywood Community Center, 1560 N Hollywood Street

2/25 – Agricenter International, 105 S. Germantown Parkway

3/10 – Bartlett Senior Center, 5727 Woodlawn Street

3/35 – Golden Gate Cathedral, 3240 James Road