Which rider groups are saying bus service is not keeping up with a steady pace?”
Bus Riders Union-ATX supports independent audit of Capital Metro The Bus Riders Union-ATX, a group of bus riders and their allies dedicated to making transit better in Austin, Texas supports an independent audit of Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority by the Texas State Auditor. As the once robust reserves, at one time totaling $214 million dollars, have dwindled to approximately $10 million dollars the bus riders are enduring cuts in service with more being threatened. The 72% of riders who are transit dependent stand to be hurt the worst. The reserves are supposed to be for “insurance” against unforeseen crises like natural disasters and economic downturns. It is alarming even to the casual observer that at the very time they are most needed they have disappeared. An audit will show where the money has gone and inform future stewards of the transit authority against repeating these poorly executed spending decisions. Source: www
The Bus Riders Union (BRU) last Friday launched a series of actions designed to urge the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) to use some of the $700 million the agency is expected to receive in federal stimulus funds as well as proceeds from voter-approved Measure R to expand the bus fleet, reduce the 2007 fare increases and to develop a county-wide bus-only project. The action comes in the wake of the release of a report by MTA on what the agency plans to do with the 20% of the Measure R money allocated to improving the bus system. BRU organizer Esperanza Martinez said the advocacy group is concerned about the reports on a number of front.
