Richland pays the fare for bus service

Richland County has agreed to cover part of the bus company’s deficit for the year.

But cuts in service still are likely as a new transit board looks for greater efficiencies this spring.

Tuesday night, County Council compromised on $775,000 to help cover a $2.5 million deficit. Earlier, the city of Columbia had committed an extra $618,000 for operations, with both amounts now leaving a $1.1 million shortfall for the year.

“Unfortunately, a lot of the message is, ‘Stay tuned,’” said Bob Schneider, bus director with Veolia Transportation.

The county approval came on a voice vote after an hour-long debate, with only Councilman Bill Malinowski voting “no.”

The buzz phrase for the evening was “31 percent,” a figure representing the amount of bus service that runs in unincorporated Richland County.

Some members said the county should provide no more than that to cover the shortfall.

Others argued city residents already pay twice for bus service through both a countywide transit fee that shows up on property-tax bills and a franchise fee paid for electricity in Columbia.

Schneider said the extra money, which likely will come from county savings, would get the two-county bus system through mid-August without changes in service.

But the transit authority runs on a budget year that ends Sept. 30. And this year’s $2.5 million deficit will be repeated next year.

It was predictable: The shortfall is the result of SCE&G making its final contribution toward the bus system that the utility operated until 2002.

A contingent of 10 passengers and advocates attended the meeting, encouraging County Council to reach an agreement with the city to cover the funding gap. They said public transportation is a basic service, like police protection, water and sewer.

“We demand our share,” rider Mamie Jackson said. “We should not have to come and beg for a basic right.”

Among those arguing for the county to cover $950,000 of the deficit was Councilman Paul Livingston.

“The county owes the community more than 31 percent of this bus system,” he said. “We ought to look at this as a true partnership, and make this work for our county.”

Among those insisting $589,000 was the most the county should pay was Councilwoman Joyce Dickerson.

“That is our fair share,” she said. “We have been putting in more for the bus than the city of Columbia.”

The smaller figure represented 31 percent of the deficit not already covered by the city. The larger figure represented 50 percent of what remained.

Dickerson and Councilman Norman Jackson noted it was the county that stepped up with a funding solution when the regional system began to fail in 2006. “When the city had a problem, we came to the rescue, and we almost ended up managing the whole thing,” Jackson said. “Now I guess we’ve come to our senses.”

In the end, members Damon Jeter and Greg Pearce moved the group toward a compromise.

“I’m willing to go along with it one time, but this is it,” Pearce said. “We haven’t gotten credit for the sacrifices we’ve already made for this bus.”

Public transportation, mostly funded by Columbia and Richland County taxpayers, faces its next big crisis Sept. 30, the end of its funding year.

But by then, it should be clear whether county leaders will put a question on the ballot to raise the sales tax.

So far, the fate of a referendum — requested by the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce as a way to address a variety of transportation needs — has been uncertain.

The Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority board will address efficiencies and improvements to the system this spring, said Schneider, who was brought on board in December to rescue the ailing system.

Had the county failed to act Tuesday night, the system faced a total system shutdown in July.

Schneider said the commitment provided the board with “breathing room” to consider service changes to make the system more efficient. The $11.5 million-a-year system likely faces changes in hours and frequency of buses, among other things, he said.

The board had prepared riders for 65 percent cuts to service.

“We’re not there with a hand out,” Schneider said before the meeting. We’re asking the county to place a value on transit services.”