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MTA directors riding bus routes to figure out which ones to cut

Commissioners slashed $300,000 from public transit. MTA president Craig Ross says federal government matched that amount, so it's really a $600,000 loss.

Bus routes in Macon could be changing as a result of commissioners cutting some of their funding.

The Macon Transit Authority has a plan for cutting expenses.

Commissioners slashed $300,000 from public transit. MTA president Craig Ross says federal government matched that amount, so it's really a $600,000 loss.

Ross says he and his directors have been riding buses, counting passengers, and trying to find out where they can reduce expenses.

Wes Stroud, transit planner, rode on the Westgate route, which he says is one of the routes they’re looking at cutting.

“There will be adjustments of times and some areas we may not go to," said Stroud.

Stroud and other officials with the Macon Transit Authority are riding the buses and looking at which routes pick-up the lowest number of riders.

Trey Starley says he relies on the bus to get to work.

“It's all going to be unfair no matter who they cut, but if they cut this route, I’d have to walk a long way,” said Starley.

Stroud says they don't want to inconvenience their riders like Starley, but need to streamline their operations to make up for the loss of funding.

“We really we want to try to look at everything else we can before we start taking things away from our passengers,” said Stroud

The transit board will make final decision based on the numbers Stroud collects. They say they will give a 14-day warning before making any route changes, but you could see them happen by October.

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