JATRAN In Trouble

Jackson’s bus system is running out of money, and city officials are scrambling to keep it afloat.

City leaders say JATRAN will run out of money by June 30th, which is only three months before the end of the fiscal year.

City Administrator Rick Hill is advising the council to pull $1.5 million from its reserves to keep JATRAN from going under.  The city council will discuss whether or not to dip into savings at the next council meeting on May 5th, which is the same day as the mayoral primary.

Last year, the city council reduced JATRAN’s budget by $1.5 million with the understanding that money would be used for road resurfacing.  But according to Councilman Jeff Weill, Mayor Frank Melton never made the cuts.

“We don’t need to touch the city’s reserves,“ said Weill.  “If we do, it could affect our bonds and credit rating and that could hurt the city in terms of the interest rates that we pay.“

At the bus depot in downtown Jackson, riders say they’re frustrated with the bus system. 

“I was supposed to catch a bus at six….I was an hour late to work this morning,“ said Jackson resident Vernon Tornes.

In addition to new buses, riders say they want expanded service on the weekends,which would cost the city more money.  Despite the budget shortfall, the administration says they have no plans to shut down the city’s bus system.

“There are no plans to close down the operation,“ said City Administrator Robert Walker.

It’s an operation stuck in a rut.  Nine Holbrook, a JATRAN department head, resigned last week over frustrations with the program.