Charleston area bus system officials are now hopeful that the system will be able to stay in operation until the end of September, several months beyond previous estimates of when it might run out of money.
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GRACE BEAHM/STAFF
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Charleston bus officials hope to keep buses running through September, close to when a referendum on a half-cent sales tax increase can be held.
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That would keep the buses running almost until the financially strapped system could receive a lifeline in the form of November's half-cent sales tax hike referendum, officials said during a board meeting Friday.
"We're pretty close," said Howard Chapman, executive director of the Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority.
Officials had predicted earlier that the system would have to shut down in April if it was unable to find more money. Since then, however, the state stepped forward with the offer of a loan, which the system is close to obtaining.
CARTA is also set to receive its regular state funds, which would provide enough money to last until the end of September, with more than $100,000 left over.
Even with steep recent cuts, it still costs close to $300,000 to operate the buses for one month, meaning that CARTA will have to find still more money to keep running until the referendum.
Patterson Smith, chairman of CARTA's board, mentioned and rejected a recent suggestion from Mount Pleasant Mayor Harry Hallman that the system be allowed to fail before the referendum in order to illustrate a shutdown's impact.
"I have a difficult time doing that," he said. "I realize the necessity ... to continue."
Additional funds could come from the federal government, which CARTA is lobbying for help, or from local governments. Charleston County has offered to contribute money to help, but only as long as other governments chip in.
While CARTA has not yet reached the end of its life, the system has suffered since the S.C. Supreme Court overturned the 2002 sales tax referendum that would have helped fund the system.
In order to stay alive longer, CARTA slashed service, which has caused ridership to plummet. Total ridership for February was down nearly 70 percent from the previous year, said Christine Nelson, CARTA's transit administrator.
In addition to trying to stay alive until the referendum, CARTA's other hurdle is seeing that the referendum, which also would fund roads and green space, passes.
Officials decided Friday that they need to better explain the system to the public, including what CARTA would do if the referendum passes. Critics have attacked CARTA's leadership in the months since the court overturned the first referendum.
Before the court overturned the sales tax last year, the system was exploring changes that included creating park-and-ride lots, express routes and neighborhood routes that would more thoroughly serve residential areas.
CARTA's board voted to set up a committee to look at the communication issue.
"I think that maybe we've had a failure to communicate very effectively with the public," Smith said.
The system is getting some assistance from a North Charleston man who said he lost his job after recent service cuts took effect. Frank Shoemaker presented the board with a petition in support of CARTA signed by riders and others and said it's critical that the system keep running.
"We must keep public transportation running until November," he said.
