The Matanuska-Susitna Borough must contribute $1 million annually to maintain its public bus service or risk its shutdown. Federal funding changes require local or state contributions for half the program's cost. With no state funding allocated, the borough is exploring service cuts, fare increases, and operational changes to meet the new requirement.
PALMER – The Matanuska-Susitna Borough must cover half the cost of local public bus service by July or lose the program entirely due to a change in federal transportation funding rules for the region.
The borough currently contributes no money to the bus system. Starting in July, it will have to cover half the cost of the program — about $1 million, depending on the final programming — or let the service shut down, officials said. Last March, for example, about 40% of on-demand riders were students going to after-school programs, seniors going to and from the grocery store or veterans using the shuttle for health care appointments,All told, the commuter bus service provides about 33,000 rides to and from Anchorage each year and another 29,000 to locations throughout Mat-Su via the on-demand service, borough officials said this month.
PUBLIC TRANSIT FUNDING MATANUSKA-SUSITNA BOROUGH BUS SERVICE TRANSPORTATION
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