Some riders say MATA needs more than new buses. They want reliable transportation.
Memphis Area Transit Authority bus 50 drives up Poplar Avenue on Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)
Officials recently unveiled eight of a dozen new MATA buses delivered to the city, saying another 44 are scheduled to arrive by summer 2027.
On Sept. 2, Rodrick Holmes, the trustee running daily operations of MATA, was joined by multiple Memphis City Council members and Memphis Mayor Paul Young to unveil the new buses and highlight $48 million in federal and city dollars to pay for a total of 56 buses by next summer.
Critics, however, said overall reliability remains a concern. There were more routes and more buses pre-COVID, and that MATA and city officials need to have a grander vision for how to improve the system.
This is an excerpt of this story. To read more, please click here and subscribe.
Topics
Rodrick Holmes MATA Mayor Paul Young Better Transit for a Better Memphis Subscriber Only Zen’Yari WintersThank you for reading The Daily Memphian. Your support is critical.
Did you know we are a 501(c)3 nonprofit news organization? We rely on a mix of revenue from subscriptions (50%), advertising, events and other earned income (25%) and fundraising (25%).
Please consider making a fully tax-deductible donation or other contribution to The Daily Memphian today.
👉🏽 Your subscription pays for you to read all our journalism.
👉🏽 Your donation powers the work we do to reach everyone else with the news.
We believe an informed Memphis is a better Memphis. If you agree, join our growing list of donors now.
Steve Bohnel
Steve Bohnel is a Temple University graduate, originally from Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He’s worked at news organizations in Iowa, Maryland and Pittsburgh, covering local and state politics. He covers health care, transportation and logistics, manufacturing, and technology. He is an avid traveler, an Everton F.C. and Philadelphia sports fan, and likes collecting records and biking around town.
Comments
Want to comment on our stories? If you’re a subscriber, scroll down to the comments. If you’re not a subscriber, only paid subscribers can add their thoughts, so subscribe now. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.