Richland County Funding Delays Cuts to Bus Service

Richland County Council voted Tuesday night to pay for part of the bus system's deficit, according to multiple news sources.

The council agreed to pay $775,000 to the CMRTA to help cover its $2.5 million deficit, according to a report in The State. The City of Columbia already agreed to pay an extra  $618,000 to operate the buses, according to the report.

The two funding amounts still leave the CMRTA with a $1.1 million deficit. 

The combined money from the city and the county will keep the buses running without any cuts until August, according to a report on WLTX.

The CMRTA staff were preparing bus riders for a 65 percent cut to service at a . 

While the severe cuts won't take effect, CMRTA and Veoila Transportation Director Bob Schneider said the board will consider changes in bus hours and frequency of stops to improve the efficiency of the system, according to The State.