Birmingham Transit
Public transit in the Gulf South is in need of an overhaul. The solution could lie in the past
The Gulf South is not known for its great public transit systems. Some believe Bus Rapid Transit could solve lingering issues and lead to a better future.
Transit Authority Chief Seeks Compromise to Pass Budget
The Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority recently rejected a proposed budget that would have increased bus fares to $1.50 and cut bus service. Executive Director Frank Martin says riders aren’t paying enough into the system, and neither is the city of Birmingham.
Transit Authority Board Under Fire for Meeting
When former Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority executive director Ann August left her post in October, transit board members said they held an emergency meeting to accept her resignation. Transit advocates say she was clearly fired. That distinction could mean the difference between a legal move by the board and something illegal. The Jefferson County District Attorney's office appears to be investigating. We hear about it from Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald and also hear about the Birmingham City Council, which canceled a meeting for lack of a quorum.
Potential Threats to Alabama’s Automotive Industry
Alabama leaders love to tout the state’s automotive industry. What started with the Mercedes plant in Tuscaloosa County in the mid-1990s now includes Honda and Hyundai plants plus numerous suppliers. While the auto industry has increasingly moved to the Deep South, Alabama’s success could be threatened by a place further south. We talk about it in this week’s Magic City Marketplace.
Improving Birmingham’s Mass Transit
Mass transit is a point of frustration for many Birmingham boosters, who see the bus system as woefully under developed and underfunded. But with the World Games coming to Birmingham in 2021 and the city going after other tourism events, the public transit system gains new importance. We talk about it in this week’s Magic City Marketplace.
