After a viewer showed us this picture of a Macon Transit Bus spewing smoke, we reached out to the Transit Authority's president Craig Ross to explain how that could happen.
He says while they wait for commissioners to decide whether or not to restore their funding, the money they have left will be going towards keeping transit running, not repairing vehicles.
Bus Driver Anthony Center says the bus he drives hums and has no air conditioning. “While the other buses are waiting on parts, you end up with buses like this that have no air on them,” said Center.
Addie Williams says she relies on public transportation to get around, but the lack of air on buses is an inconvenience.
Macon Transit Authority President Craig Ross says that without the new funding from Macon-Bibb commissioners they can’t afford to fix air conditioning or repair the buses if they don’t have the parts.
“Belts break, engines need to be overhauled, whatever we have to maintain them, we just can't trade them in for a new model,” said Ross.
Ross says most buses must last for 12 years or 500,000 miles before they can be turned in. The money they do have will go towards keeping the bus drivers employed and the bus riders riding.
“We have funds to comfortably get us through the 28th, and the problem for August is what we have 3 pay periods, that’s $10,000 a day,” said Ross.
Center says he wants commissioners to hurry up and restore their funding so he can keep his job, but also so the passengers he see every day get to their destination safely.
Now at Tuesday's full committee meeting, some commissioners supported funding what they call the three crucial agencies -- the libraries, public transportation, and the health department.
Both the library director and Ross say that they need those opinions to turn into action before they have to shut their doors.