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ACC Commissioners expected to vote on aid for Athens Transit

Athens-Transit

Athens-Clarke County Commissioners are expected to vote tonight on whether to spend up to $225,000 in additional funding for Athens Transit. But, as WUGA’s Martin Matheny reports, it may be the beginning of a much larger discussion.

Athens Transit is running short on funds in large part because of a delay in the delivery of some expected federal money. Speaking at a meeting late last month, Mayor Kelly Girtz told commissioners, "There was the anticipation of a large tranche of federal funds to be delivered. The delivery of those funds didn't happen in exactly the sequence and timeline that that we would have preferred, and so thus we have to move some funds into transit to true up the FY22 fiscal year."

Funding for the county’s bus system has changed dramatically in recent years. In the 2017 fiscal year, nearly three-quarters of transit funding came from two major sources - the county’s budget and money collected from passengers. With the onset of the pandemic came calls to make transit fare-free for all riders. Commissioners enacted that move in April 2020, later extending the fare-free model, and funding it through at least June 2023.

But, the request for additional funding for Athens Transit has opened the door for another discussion of the fare-free model, with at least one commissioner expressing concerns that the measure hinders the improvement and expansion of services. Commissioner Russell Edwards expressed his reservations at last month’s agenda setting session.

"I'm not quite convinced that the fare free model has really gotten us where we want to go with our transit system." Edwards said. "Great, it's fare free, but what good is it if I have to wait 45 minutes to get on the bus?"

County Manager Blaine Williams told Commissioners that the topic might come up at a work session later this year.

Martin Matheny is WUGA's Program Director and a host and producer of our local news program 'Athens News Matters.' He started at WUGA in 2012 as a part-time classical music host and still hosts WUGA's longest-running local program 'Night Music' which is heard on WUGA and GPB Classical. He lives in Normaltown with his wife, Shaye and dog, Murphy.