TARC proposes service cuts

Clark County

Discussion

November 27, 2009

Route trims would make up for budget shortfall, official says

By DAVID A. MANN The News and Tribune Fri Nov 27, 2009, 07:19 PM EST

Louisville public transportation provider TARC has proposed cutting bus routes as a means of offsetting a budget shortfall.

Several Indiana routes are on the chopping block.

Two express routes to New Albany and one express route to Clarksville would be discontinued outright. A Jeffersonville route would see minor schedule changes.

Additionally, numerous Louisville routes would be discontinued or changed. In total, 10 routes are proposed for elimination and 22 routes will see service reductions.

Barry Barker, executive director for Transit Authority of River City, or TARC, said the cuts are necessary to correct a projected $2 million budget shortfall.

“It’s lousy, because I know how it’s going to impact people,” Barker said in a telephone interview this week.

He said if the cuts go through as proposed, it would be the largest decrease in service in the last 15 years for TARC.

Barker explained that the budget shortfall was caused by the recession. TARC depends on local occupational taxes for 60 percent of its budget. Because of high unemployment, it is projected TARC will get about $37.5 million from the tax, rather than the about $39.5 million it had been expecting.

Through a rider alert on its Web site, TARC said the proposed service cuts are aimed at routes with limited ridership or those that are duplicated by another route.

If the changes are approved, they would go into effect Feb. 21.

A public hearing is planned for 11 a.m. Dec. 9 at the New Albany-Floyd County Public Library, 180 W. Spring St., New Albany. Several other hearings are planned in Louisville. Also, customers can e-mail comments to

info@ridetarc.org or call 502-561-5112.

Barker said there have been occasions in the past when comments from the public have led to changes to the proposed service cuts.

PROPOSED CHANGES TO INDIANA TARC ROUTES

• Route 69X: New Albany Express would be discontinued.

• Route 70X: Clarksville Express would be discontinued. Route 72X would take the place of the morning and afternoon route 70X trips, but service on Lombardy Drive and Redwood Drive would cease.

• Route 71: Jeffersonville would see minor schedule adjustments on weekdays.

• Route 72: Clarksville-New Albany would see minor schedule adjustments on weekdays.

• Route 73X: Charlestown Road Express would be discontinued.

— Transit Authority of River City — ridetarc.org