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As the Mayor of Memphis, I make community-impacting decisions daily. This year, I have made the decision to wage war on blight; I have funded additional resources for MPD, and created an office of Creative and Cultural Economy. And late last week, after careful consideration and months of analysis, I made the decision to replace the current MATA board with nine new appointees. This move was not a criticism of the individuals previously in those roles but rather aimed at creating a clean-slate environment and setting the stage for substantial and rapid changes within MATA.
The board action was step one of a longer plan to address the multiple challenges MATA is facing. Our transit authority is at a critical juncture, which will require strategic decision-making and decisive actions to address its operational and financial challenges. By realigning MATA's priorities, we are working toward building a more reliable and efficient transit system; one that meets the needs of our community.
Our charge is to rethink and fund a new transit strategy. Our intent is to move quickly.
Over the past months, we have discovered much about MATA’s operational challenges, culminating with the multiple pressing issues identified in TransPro's recent assessment and report. The report highlighted the challenges facing our transit system and emphasized the need for expediency in implementing solutions.
 TransPro’s report opened our eyes to some sobering statistics related to our current transit service. We learned that 93% of our current MATA riders are transit-dependent, which means if the bus doesn’t come, they don’t have another option to get to work, a medical appointment, or the grocery store. Imagine being unable to hold a job because your transit options weren’t reliable. This is, unfortunately, a reality for many Memphians. Because another thing the TransPro report taught us is that the system we are currently running has 23 fixed routes that were designed to be serviced by 74 buses, and yet we are sending out only 56 buses per day. That means a 25% reduction in daily service - or that far too often, our neighbors and coworkers are waiting for a bus that never comes.
 MATA currently has eight routes where the buses come every 30 minutes, ten where the bus comes every hour, one with a ninety-minute frequency, and four with a two-hour wait time. Again, imagine missing your bus and having to wait an hour or more to get the next one. That is the reality on 47% of our current routes.
Our goal is to create a system that reliably connects our residents with essential services, healthcare, and jobs.
My promise to you is that we will continue exploring all opportunities to identify funding solutions for transit, including working to pause the planned route cuts and workforce layoffs, which are currently scheduled to take effect on November 3. We believe it was clear from TransPro's report that more analysis is required. We will continue to enhance the transparency and accountability of the transit authority and support the council’s request for regular and comprehensive financial reporting.
 We believe that the three primary recommendations from the report are valid and worth pursuing: 1. Meet the needs of the customers and improve service, 2. Improve the financial management and oversight to build greater trust with the community, and 3. Get back to the basics of staffing at the right level and getting the right number and type of vehicles in service.
As we navigate through this period of transition and transformation, collaboration between resident bus riders, city officials, council members, and MATA leadership will be crucial in shaping the future of the transit authority. By addressing the immediate operational concerns, ensuring financial stability, and fostering transparency, we can build a more robust, resilient, and people-centered transit system.
Our promise is to continue working to deliver the results our community deserves.
Good News!
  
Weekly Crime Trend
The report below provides our weekly update on Part 1 Crimes. It updates daily and shows a continuous rolling 7-day total compared to the prior 7-day total. The charts on the right show the calendar week trend, comparing 2023 to 2024.
 (We maintain two crime dashboards, the Weekly Crime Trend report can be found here, and the Crime Analytics dashboard can be accessed here.)
Our Strike Team worked in the following zip codes this week: 38106, 38109, 38112, 38116, 38118.
Community Engagement:
FY25 Memphis City Council Grant Program. Don't miss the opportunity to apply for funding to support your community initiatives through your non-profit organization. The application for FY25 will reopen on Monday, October 21 through Friday, October 25 at 5pm. See more details and apply here.
Winchester Road Corridor Study. Do you live, drive, or are interested in what happens on Winchester Road? Help shape your community by participating in the project's community and business survey to evaluate land use and transportation conditions! See full details here.
Social and Community Shout-outs:
 Own Your Block: Citywide Clean-Up. Let’s take pride in the places we live, work, and worship! This Saturday, we’re inviting YOU to join our Own Your Block initiative and help restore beauty to neighborhoods across Memphis by cleaning your community! See full details and share here.
 State of Tennessee Check Presentation. The City of Memphis and State of Tennessee Department of Treasury held a press conference today to present a check for over $80 thousand dollars which represents almost $134 million dollars in unclaimed property for the citizens of Shelby County. Go to ClaimitTN.gov to see if you have any unclaimed money. See full details here.
 Amazon Donation. Amazon is donating $50,000 to create 'Safe Tech and Rec Spaces' at four community centers: Westwood, Orange Mound, Raleigh, and Glenview. These upgraded spaces will provide safe environments and new technology for our youth! See full details and share here.
 Memphis Parks Harvest Festival. Join us for the Floating Pumpkin and Harvest Festival this Saturday, October 19, from 2-4pm at Hickory Hill Aquatic Center! Enjoy games, a haunted room, a pumpkin decorating contest, face painting, free food and more! See full details and share here!
 Memphis Public Libraries Book Sale. Get ready for the Friends of the Library Fall Book Sale, happening October 24-27 at Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library! Thousands of books, CDs, DVDs, vinyl, and more at unbeatable prices. See full details and share here.
Weekly round-up
🌟 Weekly Round-Up: Revitalizing Communities, Supporting Youth, and Celebrating Achievements! 🌟
This week in Memphis was filled with exciting developments and impactful events:
Northside Square Press Event 🏢✨
Amazon Donation for Youth Spaces 💻🎮
Passport to Literacy ✈️📚
Crisis Intervention Class Graduation 🚔🎓
Join us in celebrating these milestones and the continued progress toward a brighter future for Memphis! 🌟👏 #MemphisStrong #CommunityRevitalization #YouthEmpowerment #LiteracyMatters #PublicSafety
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