Full BJCTA bus services to continue through Jan. 31

Full BJCTA bus services in Homewood will now continue through Jan. 31.

On Dec. 9, the transit authority had announced it would reduce its service to peak hours only beginning Dec. 22, cutting out service from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., but on Dec. 15, the City Council voted to restore full transit service from Dec. 22 to Jan. 31, along with $8,000 to fund it.

The service had had come in response to Homewood’s decision to halve its contributions to BJCTA for the 2014-2015 fiscal year.

At finance committee meeting preceding the Dec. 15 council meeting, conversation was heated regarding the cuts. Most on the committee favored Clastran servicing paratransit riders from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., but that service would first have to be approved by the ClasTran Board of Directors.

Clastran board president Johnny Lassiter said she didn’t think that the board would approve the proposal right now and Clastran has some problems and does not have the buses to do it.

Clastran executive director Fenn Church said he would need more information on who the riders would be and where they would be travelling in order to offer a more accurate proposal.

Council member Walter Jones said he is concerned that the board would not approve it (he has been on the board for six years before) and encouraged the board to look at other alternatives.

He also said he believes better communication between the transit services and the city going forward is vital.

The next regular Clastran board meeting is Jan. 21, but they could set a special meeting to consider the issue.