Transportation woes plague city
By: Cassandra Kimberly
Contributing Writer
Issue date: 11/28/06 Section: The Game of Life
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Judy Ruth clenched her blue jacket a little tighter around her body. Huddled inside the bus stop at Cooper and Union Avenue, she waited for the No. 2 bus to take her to "Mr. Gadd's" barber shop.
"I used to ride the No. 2 and cross the street to see my barber, Lisa, to get my hair cut, but now they (MATA) put that right turn in on Union," said Ruth. "You take your life crossing Union."
Since Ruth moved to Midtown in 1998 after retiring from keeping records at The Med, she also rides the No. 2 to her dentist, her doctor and anywhere else she must travel to run errands.
"I have a problem with my peripheral vision," said Ruth, who will turn 62 next month. "I can't see out of my left eye. I don't drive. I'm too afraid."
According to Ruth, she has been using the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) bus system as her primary means of transportation since her parents moved to Memphis when she was 18 months old. She walks most of the time, but if it's too far, she will take the bus to a connecting bus route to get where she is going.
Though the bus routes are ideal for Ruth's lifestyle, she is becoming a minority when it comes to her method of transportation. Even though ridership across The United States has increased by 3.2 percent in the last six months of 2006, according to a report by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), ridership is down in Memphis from 12.75 million riders in 2004 to 12.5 million in 2005. Ridership statistics in Memphis are not yet available for 2006.
According to Alison Burton, spokesman for MATA, ridership has progressively declined over the last several years. She says that lack of education and funding has contributed to this decline.
"The main problem is education and awareness," said Burton. "Memphis is the largest public transportation system in the state. What makes us different is that this operation does not have a dedicated source of funds."
MATA began in Memphis in 1865 and built the system up to 80 routes around the city. By 1982 service was reduced by nearly 50 percent due to poor ridership and lack of funds. Currently there are 37 fixed routes in operation with 150 buses.
"I used to ride the No. 2 and cross the street to see my barber, Lisa, to get my hair cut, but now they (MATA) put that right turn in on Union," said Ruth. "You take your life crossing Union."
Since Ruth moved to Midtown in 1998 after retiring from keeping records at The Med, she also rides the No. 2 to her dentist, her doctor and anywhere else she must travel to run errands.
"I have a problem with my peripheral vision," said Ruth, who will turn 62 next month. "I can't see out of my left eye. I don't drive. I'm too afraid."
According to Ruth, she has been using the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) bus system as her primary means of transportation since her parents moved to Memphis when she was 18 months old. She walks most of the time, but if it's too far, she will take the bus to a connecting bus route to get where she is going.
Though the bus routes are ideal for Ruth's lifestyle, she is becoming a minority when it comes to her method of transportation. Even though ridership across The United States has increased by 3.2 percent in the last six months of 2006, according to a report by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), ridership is down in Memphis from 12.75 million riders in 2004 to 12.5 million in 2005. Ridership statistics in Memphis are not yet available for 2006.
According to Alison Burton, spokesman for MATA, ridership has progressively declined over the last several years. She says that lack of education and funding has contributed to this decline.
"The main problem is education and awareness," said Burton. "Memphis is the largest public transportation system in the state. What makes us different is that this operation does not have a dedicated source of funds."
MATA began in Memphis in 1865 and built the system up to 80 routes around the city. By 1982 service was reduced by nearly 50 percent due to poor ridership and lack of funds. Currently there are 37 fixed routes in operation with 150 buses.