It’s not just Metro Government that needs to step up for public transit, the state must do its part too. Kentucky ranks 46 out of 50 in funding for public transit across the US.
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Louisville Metro Government has lots of opinions on the problems and challenges TARC and JCPS face and ideas for how to solve them. But two things are constantly missing in these conversations — the riders who rely on TARC, and the workers who safely transport them!
The TARC workers union, ATU Local 1447, has raised the issue of funding for public transit since 2022. As recently as February of this year, we tried working with TARC leadership to develop a long-term plan to change and improve TARC’s funding model, so we aren’t limping to the finish line every fiscal year.
On Monday, April 15, the TARC Board of Directors passed a budget that slashes service by as much as 40% and eliminates 60-80 jobs. TARC is trying to hide behind the service cuts by calling it “Saturday plus,” claiming they aren’t eliminating routes, just reducing frequency. This schedule is “plus” in name only. These cuts will leave Louisville riders frustrated with longer wait times that will disrupt their commutes to and from work. Transit commuters from the West End will especially be harmed as routes that run every 10-15 minutes will run every 60-90 minutes under the proposed schedule. With JCPS reducing school bus service, a well-funded and reliable public transit system is more important now than ever. A service reduction will be detrimental to at-risk youth and their parents/guardians who rely on TARC.
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TARC leadership estimates that $14 million is needed to avoid service cuts and layoffs this fiscal year. No doubt this is an expensive line item; but the alternative of drastically reducing service and laying workers off is bad for riders, our economy and our communities.
It’s not just Metro Government that needs to step up for public transit, the state must do its part too. Kentucky ranks 46 out of 50 in funding for public transit across the US. There is also the possibility of changing the occupational tax funding distribution, as TARC receives only 9% of the collected revenue.
Much of the rhetoric at Metro’s press conference on April 15 was focused on addressing the school bus driver shortage, putting the onus on the workers to solve the problems created by neglectful leaders, past and present. We heard the proposal that all laid off TARC drivers could easily transfer over to JCPS and drive buses there. This cut and paste idea does not address the reduction in transit services, nor does it answer the questions working people have been asking themselves — “How am I going to be affected? What about my family?”
With these big funding issues, we hope that Metro Government does not rush to answer them with short-term gimmick-y fixes. Improving public transit for Louisville will take time and work, but it starts by protecting what we have and making it better, not cutting it down. Louisville could be leading the way in public transit if TARC and Metro Government leadership have the vision and will to make it so.
Lillian Brents is the President/Business Agent of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1447, representing TARC transit workers.
