By Ashley Benkarski
NASHVILLE, TN – Mayor John Cooper’s FY2021-22 Metro Operating Budget proposal includes a $53,656,100 funding allotment for WeGo Public Transit services, allowing WeGo to advance its goals toward an equitable public transit system in alignment with the recently adopted Nashville Transportation Plan.
“WeGo Public Transit applauds Mayor Cooper’s proposed FY2021-22 Metro Operating Budget, and specifically its major commitment to public transportation service,” said WeGo CEO Steve Bland.
The investment will directly benefit the thousands of Nashvillians who rely on public transportation services every day, WeGo said.
“Last year, WeGo was able to absorb a budget cut from Metro during a very difficult year for the city due to available funding from the Federal Government,” said Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority (Nashville MTA) Board Chair Gail Carr-Williams. “With Mayor Cooper’s budget proposal this year, we look forward to stabilizing service and actually increasing service levels as early as this fall.”
Nashville MTA and the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) are operating bodies of WeGo Public Transit, which serves 26 local bus routes, eight regional bus routes, and one train serving Davidson and Wilson Counties.
“The service improvements that WeGo will be able to start with this budget are very exciting,” frequent WeGo Public Transit rider John Bull said. “Later service hours, in particular, are absolutely essential to so many workers who’ve been hit really hard by the pandemic over the past year. The fact that they’ll be able to access more jobs and more available shifts will help raise Nashville up even faster.”
