Birmingham Bus Money Shortage May Stop Most Service

MAX city bus routes in could be hit with a 59% service cut.

By: | Alabama's13.com
Published: August 27, 2008

BIRMINGHAM, Ala—MAX city bus routes in could be hit with severe service cuts as transit leaders worry about over-spending their budget and city leaders refuse a bail-out deal.

The Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority voted Wednesday, to cut more than a dozen bus routes and end evening service, in the face of a $7.4 million budget shortage. The cuts will not happen until after public hearings and approval from Birmingham city leaders.

Rising operation costs, less federal help and a drop in city funding have left Birmingham's bus system stalled with its latest, now annual, budget shortage. This week’s proposal would slash 59% of the system’s routes or hours, laying off dozens of employees and leaving hundreds of riders without transit coverage.

Mayor Larry Langford blasted the transit board’s budget process and he blames them for mis-spending $9 million in city funds, earmarked for new busses and raised from a recent raise in sales tax and business fees.

“We got the $9 million to buy new busses. We never reported, or alluded to anyone that it was for operational costs," Langford said.

Langford told transit board members that their resolution to cut more than half of the bus system's service was an unfair political game.

“So we need to quit playing and posturing with the riders, with us and with you. ‘We'll cut the service if we don't get the money.’ We're not going to react to that anymore," Langford said.

Transit board members insist they are not grandstanding.

“I expect the city of Birmingham, the Mayor and the Council...they have already put money in the system and I expect for them to honor that commitment," said BJCTA Board Chairman Brian Hamilton.

But the Mayor felt that was an over-statement.

“We're not going to continue trying to fix this system by putting a bandage on a patient that's hemorrhaging. They didn't do what they were supposed to do," Langford said after the meeting.

A work session to try and resolve disputes and crunch numbers is next, before plans to park busses are certain.

The transit board can not cut service without approval from Birmingham.