130 Nestor Street
Nashville, TN 37210-2124
Phone 615-862-5969
Fax 615-862-6208
ADA Coordinator
862-4325
880-3286 (TTY)
Check our Web Site at
www.nashvillemta.org
BILL PURCELL, MAYOR
Metropolitan Government of
Nashville and Davidson
County
MTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Marian T. Ott, Chair
Lewis Lavine, Vice Chair
William L. Barnes, Member
E.L. Collins, Member
Gail Carr Williams, Member
OFFICERS
Paul J. Ballard,
Chief Executive Officer
Julian W. Blackshear, Jr.,
Secretary
EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor
Patricia Harris-Morehead
Graphic Design Artist/
Assistant Editor
Kathryn Deising
Contributing Writers
Paul Ballard
Jim Bender
Tommy Boshers
Patricia Harris-Morehead
Editorial Assistance
Bob Baulsir
Ellen Davis
Amy McDaris
Joan Smith
Photography
Gary Layda
Lee Jackson
Rob McElhaney
Kathryn Deising
If you have suggestions for
future articles, please
submit them to the
Communications office.
Page 6
Sun Power Used to Light
Shelter
Name the
Newsletter
MTA is using the power of
test will be to see that the
the sun to light one of its
unit lives up to the
shelters.
manufacturer’s claim and
Testing of the solar unit is
actually provides light for 10
taking place at the Harding
hours with just a battery,”
Mall bus shelter located at
Jackson said.
Nolensville Road and
Harding Place.
Fleet Manager Lee
Jackson said the test
unit, which cost
$3,500, is less
expensive than
installing traditional
wiring. “In addition,
MTA saves the cost of
electricity,” he said.
The solar-powered
unit has a battery
backup designed to
keep the shelter
illuminated for 10
New solar powered shelter in front of
hours. “Part of the
Harding Mall
The Communications staff
is pleased to present this first
edition of the newly revamped
MTA newsletter. Our plans
are for this publication to
come out quarterly with a
spring, summer, fall, and
winter issue. We have not
decided on a new name for
the newsletter, but have
come up with a few ideas.
Please cast your vote for the
following suggestions, or if
you have another really clever
name, submit it and get
several other employees to
submit the same name. The
winning name will be
announced in the next issue.
M TA P r o p o s e s
Improvements to School
Services and Fare Structure
The Metropolitan Transit
Authority recently held three
public hearings to hear from
the general public on
proposed improvements to its
youth transportation services
and current fare structure.
The meetings were held at
three local magnet schools so
that parents, students, and
others could review a
presentation on a proposed
reconfiguration of the
system's current magnet
routes.
If appropriate funding is
secured, the improvements
would create three new bus
routes and provide more
service on five other routes.
This proposal would give
students and members of the
general public more options
for traveling with the MTA
throughout the day because
more buses would run more
frequently. In addition, the
term magnet school buses
will no longer be needed
because the more frequent
service will be available for all
members of the public as
stipulated by the Federal
Transit Administration.
Also, during the hearings,
officials presented
information on a proposed
restructuring of its fare
structure. At the present
time, the MTA offers a variety
of fixed route fares, passes,
and tickets that is often
confusing for the public.
These categories are the
zone, zone with monthly
parking, day pass, discount
day pass, three-day pass,
discount three-day pass, and
weekly discount pass.
"We are attempting to
streamline and simplify our
fare structure. Instead of
having these 7 different types
of fares, we hope to have
three basic fares that are
reasonably priced for adults,
youth, seniors, and people
with disabilities," said MTA's
Chief Executive Officer Paul
Ballard.
MTA Newsletter
A Newsletter for Employees and Special Friends of
the MTA of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee
Spring 2003
2 5 N e w G i l l i g B u s e s H a v e B e e n O r d e r e d f o r M TA
Suggested newsletter names:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
The Transit Line
The Transit Connection
The Transit Movers
The Transit Word
The Transit
The Fuel Line
The Bus Line
The Bus Ride
The Bus Connector
The Bus Record
The Busy Bus
The Ride Connection
The Connection
The ChatterBus
The Information Line
Please circle one of the
above choices or submit
another name. Complete the
information below and place
your choice or suggestion in
the Communications
Department mailbox in the
lobby area by May 1, 2003.
_________________________
Name
_________________________
Phone Number
_________________________
Department
Suggestion:
Volume 1, Issue 1
Gillig demo bus displayed in front of MTA offices on February 27.
F r o m t h e C E O ’s D e s k . . .
other economic activities. We
On January 28th
are important to the economic
I completed my first year at
health of this region, and the
MTA. It’s been quite a year
health of our citizens also is
and we have made significant
tied to an effective public
progress in our efforts to
transportation
become one of
system.
the best public
In our strategic
transit systems in
plan, we have
the nation. And,
committed to
we could not have
adding 100,000
made such
passenger trips in
progress without
each of the next
the assistance of
five years. We are
MTA employees,
establishing goals
our board of
that will make us a
directors, the
significant partner
Metro Council,
in reducing the
Mayor Purcell,
growth in traffic
and his staff.
congestion and air
I appreciate
quality issues, and
the contributions
Paul J. Ballard
we have pledged to
each of you are
make MTA and public
making and I am convinced
transportation more relevant
our agency can play an even
to more people.
more important role in this
Opening a dialogue with
community as Middle
university officials is one
Tennessee continues to grow.
strategy. Improving customer
We carry some 7 million
services, and purchasing new
passengers a year to jobs,
equipment such as the 25
health care facilities, and
The Metropolitan Transit
Authority Board of Directors
recently approved the
purchase of 25 new 40-foot
low-floor buses for the MTA.
The new buses are part of the
5-Year Capital Improvement
Plan to rebuild our aged fleet.
The new buses will be
much lower to the ground,
which will make them easier
for people to access.
After a tour of one of the
buses on display in front of
the MTA offices on February
27, the board convened its
monthly meeting and voted to
approve the $6.9 million
purchase.
"We have been waiting for
this day for a very long time.
It is a day in which we are
truly making a significant
investment in public transit in
Middle Tennessee," Board
Chair Marian Ott said.
A very well-respected
California-based company,
Gillig, Inc., was awarded a
five-year contract that allows
the MTA to standardize its
future selection of buses,
obtain a better price through
volume discounts, and reduce
the requirements of an "as
needed" or annual
procurement process.
Over this five-year period,
MTA will have the option to
purchase other standard
low-floor buses and 40-foot
Continued on page 2
Operations Supervisors Receive New Cars!
Four new Ford Taurus’ were decaled for the Supervisors in
January. Pictured with the new cars (L to R) are Hugh Taylor,
Ellis Scruggs, Charles Mitchell, Robert Hatch, Richard Maxwell,
and Kym Zerfoss. Not pictured are Mark Betts and Tom Daniels.
new 40-foot buses are others.
In addition, we are
pursuing a number of other
initiatives:
Improved and simplified
bus maps and schedules—
Materials for the next
schedule changes will be
easier to read and
understand. We also are
planning enhancements to
our web site and expanded
customer service telephone
hours.
More information at the
bus stops—We are developing
better signage at our bus
Continued on page 4
Page 1
MTA Newsletter, Spring 2003
MTA Newsletter, Spring 2003
Special Kudos
Worth Sharing...
On 12/20/02, a customer
service representative
received the following
compliment on Angela Cruz,
who was driving the #20 Scott
on December 19. "...she went
out of her way to provide
information on MTA's holiday
schedule to me and another
passenger. After explaining
that the service would be
running, she went a step
farther and got off of the bus
on a cold and rainy
evening to retrieve the
holiday flyers from the
information booth for
us. This driver should
receive recognition for
her great attitude and
good customer skills.
She is always very
courteous to the
passengers."
On 1/17/03, MTA's Chief
Executive Officer Paul Ballard
received the following e-mail:
"I'm a Metro employee....and a
frequent rider on the
Rivergate Express or the
Gallatin Road buses. I wanted
it to be noted how much the
MTA is appreciated by this
user. Whether it be bad
weather or another reason
why I use the services, I can
be assured that the bus will
arrive as closely to schedule
as possible. The friendliness
of your bus drivers are very
well noticed. Thank you for
great service!!
On 1/19/03, within an
article in the Tennessean
regarding the January
snowstorm, a magnet school
parent is quoted as saying, "It
was only the helpfulness of
MTA's customer service staff
that kept them relatively
calm..." while her husband
spent much of the day waiting
at the Bellevue bus stop for
her son to return.
On 1/22/03, a customer
called the customer service
center to state "...the driver,
Vicki Douglas on the #28
Meridian, is very nice and has
a nice attitude. When it
snowed she was very calm
and pleasant. This made
everyone feel more confident
Page 2
about riding with her in the
snow or any other day."
On 1/30/03, Marian Ott,
MTA Board Chair wrote: “The
Board of Directors would like
to extend a special thank you
to all who worked so tirelessly
on Thursday and Friday
(January 16 & 17) during one
of Middle Tennessee's worst
snowstorms. At the recent
Board of Directors meeting,
we heard from the MTA
management staff about
your courageous efforts
and commitment to our
customers on these two
critical days. Because of
your efforts, all of our
riders eventually arrived
home safely.
As Board Chair, I had
the privilege of receiving
compliments from Mayor
Purcell on the professionalism
and customer focus of the
MTA during the inclement
weather. The MTA Board of
Directors would like to add
our praise for your
professionalism in driving in
the wintry conditions as well
as your good humor in dealing
with our riders…"
M TA Te s t i n g C l e a n e r F u e l
Coffee with the CEO
A cleaner fuel is being
tested at MTA as part of a
$100,000 pilot project
funded by the Tennessee
Department of
Transportation.
The fuel is called biodiesel and is a mixture of
80 percent diesel fuel and
20 percent organic fuel,
which comes from organic
feed sources, including
soybeans. Using bio-diesel
results in lower emissions of
particulate matter, carbon
monoxide, toxic
contaminants, sulfur dioxide,
hydrocarbons, visible smoke
and noxious odors. The
Environmental Protection
Beginning in April, MTA's Chief Executive Officer Paul Ballard
began a series of meetings with personnel in the various
departments to hear comments or suggestions for improvements
and share his long-range vision for MTA. The meetings are
scheduled to last one hour and are an opportunity for employees
to have one-on-one dialogue with the CEO about various issues.
"We are hoping the result will be great suggestions from
frontline staff and a better understanding of the goals, objectives,
and strategies that will continue to move us forward as an
agency," Patricia Harris-Morehead, MTA's Director of
Communications said.
The first of the series of Coffees was held with Maintenance
employees on Wednesday, April 2 at 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Listed below are confirmed dates for future Coffees with the
CEO.
• Wed., April 23 at 8:30 and 9:45 a.m.— Customer Service and
Communications
• Wed., May 14 at 9:00 a.m.— Finance Department
• Wed., June 11 at 9:00 a.m.— Human Resources and Planning
All employees will be given opportunities to attend the
meetings with the CEO.
Agency considers bio-diesel
an alternative fuel.
Bob Baulsir, Assistant
General Manager, said MTA
will use the fuel in up to 16
buses over a one-year period
as part of the pilot project.
The first bus using bio-diesel
was fueled February 28.
Baulsir said maintenance
factors and reliability, along
with reductions of emissions,
will be tracked during the test
period. “If everything is
satisfactory then we’ll look at
the funding issue,” he said.
Bio-diesel costs from 35 to 40
cents a gallon more than
regular diesel.
Union, DTO Negotiate
3 - Ye a r L a b o r P a c t
A three-year labor agreement has been negotiated between
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1235 and Davidson Transit
Organization. Negotiations took several months and involved
good-faith bargaining by both parties.
Issues that were resolved in negotiations included wages,
probation period, excused time off for Union business, pension
changes, and insurance.
The agreement was supplemented by a Memorandum of
Agreement on a new absenteeism policy and a Memorandum of
Understanding combining fulltime AccessRide operators and bus
operator work forces.
New Buses (continued from page 1)
suburban configuration
low-floor buses. Each bus will
cost about $275,000. The
Gillig buses are among the
best on the market according
to mass transit experts.
"This contract is a
remarkable deal for top of the
line buses such as the Gillig.
These buses have several
important attributes for
customers and operators,"
Paul Ballard, MTA Chief
Executive Officer said. "For
example, the wide doors and
generous front aisle width
provide better accessibility;
the slide out and flip out
ramps exceed ADA standards
and make it much easier for
all of our customers to ride
with us on these buses."
In addition, the modified
front structure allows
increased range and height
adjustment of the driver's
seat, which comfortably
accommodates a variety of
drivers. The improved body
refinements of the Gillig
buses reduce windshield
reflections, which will improve
visibility according to the
manufacturer.
As a part of the initial bus
order, the Regional
Transportation Authority (RTA)
has agreed to pay the full
additional cost for two
suburban configuration
buses. These buses will be
used on the longer trips to
destinations such as
Murfreesboro,
Hendersonville, and Lebanon.
The longer bus routes call for
enhanced passenger
amenities such as high back
seats, individual reading
lights, and luggage racks.
The MTA issued a
Request for Proposals (RFP)
for the purchase of the new
buses on January 15, 2003. A
five-member panel that
included Bob Baulsir, Tommy
Boshers, Pat Downs,
Emmanuel Edwards, and Ed
Oliphant evaluated all
proposals. Based on the
consensus of the evaluation
committee, Gillig presented
the best proposal. Gillig also
submitted the lowest price
proposal and the fastest
delivery schedule. Gillig's
best and final offer for the
first year is $275,490 each
and the tentative delivery
completion date is May 31,
2004.
Staff Promotions
Employee
Michael Howland
John Patton
Mary Johnson
Timothy Mix
Jeffery Beaty
Donnie Golden
Patrick Leek
Anthony Alexander
Tameka Copeland
Robert Greene
Danny King
Claude Uhls
Greg Johnson
Marilyn Yokley
Phillip Stewart
Richard Maxwell
Jim Eaton
Ric Rocha
From
“A” Greaser
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
“A” Mechanic
“A” Mechanic
Janitor
Reservationist
“A” Mechanic
Bus Operator/Suprvsr
Operations Supervisor
Operations Supervisor
To
Date
“A” Repairman
3/30/03
FT Bus Operator
2/23/03
FT Bus Operator
2/23/03
FT Bus Operator
2/23/03
FT Bus Operator
2/23/03
FT Bus Operator
2/23/03
FT Bus Operator
2/23/03
FT Bus Operator
2/23/03
FT Bus Operator
2/23/03
FT Bus Operator
2/23/03
“A” Specialist
2/23/03
“A” Specialist
2/23/03
“A” Repairman
2/16/03
Senior Reservationist 1/12/03
“A” Specialist
1/5/03
Operations Supervisor 1/5/03
Assist. Dir. of Operations 1/5/03
Facilities & Purch. Mngr. 1/5/03
Hunley Takes Quick Action for Safety
Appreciation is extended to Ramond Hunley for his response
during an accident scene when his bus was hit by an automobile.
The automobile burst into flames and Hunley reacted quickly by
putting the fire out with his extinguisher. Thanks to his concern
for the safety of others, a life may have been saved.
Customer Service Center
Moves to Main Office
On February 17, 2003, MTA's customer service staff moved
into their new offices located in the new communications wing
and in the lobby area of the central office.
"In order to enhance communications within our agency and
with our customers, we felt it made sense to relocate our
customer service personnel from the Clement Landport to the
main office where operations and other administrative staff are
located," said Paul Ballard, Chief Executive Officer. "We are very
pleased to have them in the new offices designed especially for
them."
Individuals interested in purchasing bus tickets or monthly
passes may purchase them at either the Nestor Street customer
service office, the downtown ticket booth at 5th and Deaderick,
by mail, or by calling 862-5950 or 880-3286 (TTY) Monday
through Saturday.
The customer service office and call center hours also have
been revised.
Customer Service Call Center
Monday–Friday
Saturday
Sunday
6:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Closed
Downtown Information Booth & Ticket Office
Deaderick and 5th Ave., Shelter A
Monday–Friday
Saturday
Sunday
6:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Closed
New Customer Service Ticket Office
130 Nestor Street, Lobby Area
Monday–Friday
Saturday & Sunday
8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Closed
Gone Fishing: MTA Retirees
The following employees have recently retired
from the MTA. They are going to be missed. We
would like to extend them our best wishes.
Douglas Brewer
Ronald Marshall
Edgar Hunter
Donnie Watson
Sammy Graham
Bus Operator
Bus Operator
“A” Repairman
Bus Operator
Bus Operator
27 years on 12/1/02
27 years on 1/1/03
28 years on 4/1/03
30 years on 4/1/03
27 years on 4/1/03
The MTA Family Continues to Grow
As the MTA continues to grow and expand our services, we
would like to welcome our NEW Employees:
Mortis Brown
Alvin Dunn
Perry Ingram
George Moss
Kenneth Strickler
William Woodard
Octavius Patterson
Jackie Perkins
Gregory Chatman
Mark Daniels
Timothy Davidson
Johnathan Grigsby
Dequila Howard
Bernard Merrell
Roy Metcalf
Troy Phillippie
Annette Fehland
Heather Wilson
Jeffery Beaty
Mary Johnson
Timothy Mix
John Patton
Kathryn Deising
Vera Ostojic
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Reservationist
Reservationist
Bus Operator
Bus Operator
Bus Operator
Bus Operator
Bus Operator
General Helper
General Helper
General Helper
Eligibility Specialist
Revenue Aide
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Communications Assist.
Custodian/Laborer
3/31/2003
3/31/2003
3/31/2003
3/31/2003
3/31/2003
3/31/2003
3/17/2003
3/17/2003
2/24/2003
2/24/2003
2/24/2003
2/24/2003
2/24/2003
2/24/2003
2/20/2003
2/17/2003
2/10/2003
1/29/2003
1/27/2003
1/27/2003
1/27/2003
1/27/2003
1/6/2003
1/6/2003
Page 5
MTA Newsletter, Spring 2003
N e w # 11 C o n n e c t o r B u s
R o ute Sta rt e d o n Ma rc h 31
A brand new bus route that is Metro-Davidson County's
second connector route was launched as a result of additional
funding by the Regional Transportation Authority.
The new service, which was free for MTA customers during
the first five days, runs on the southeast side and is one of only
two bus routes not traveling to the downtown area for transfers.
The Route 11 Connector begins at 100 Oaks Mall with stops
at Harding Mall, the Airport, Donelson Plaza, Gaylord Opryland
Hotel, and Opry Mills. In addition, passengers may transfer to
seven other MTA routes that cross paths with the #11 Connector.
"This is definitely a plus for regular riders such as myself. It is
not always convenient to travel all the way downtown for
transfers. Special connector
routes provide better linkages to
◄ (L to R) Paul Haynes, Director
of Operations and Business
Development, Middle TN Career
Center; Tom Atchley, Chair,
RTA Board of Directors; and Paul
Ballard, MTA Chief Executive
Officer cut the ribbon during
ceremony for new bus route.
New route map for #11 Connector
our local transportation network," said Tonya Blades, an MTA
rider. "I am impressed with the improvements underway at
MTA and hope they continue."
The MTA produced a radio commercial, colorful bus
schedules, bus signs, bus bench ads, post cards for
businesses, and posters for the three malls on the route as
part of its marketing efforts to promote the new service. In addition, merchants along
the route donated gifts and discount coupons for special promotional items for MTA
customers riding the #11 Connector during the second week.
"This new route represents a huge expansion to public transit in Davidson County,"
said Tom Atchley, RTA chair. "The partnership of MTA and RTA continues to provide
more transportation options in Middle Tennessee. We look forward to adding more
services as opportunities are discovered," said Atchley.
"Since federal Jobs Access funds are targeted for people who need to get to jobs,
we felt it made sense to have our kick off ceremony for the #11 Connector at a location
such as the Middle Tennessee Career Center’s Opry Mills site that matches people with
jobs," said Marian Ott, chair, MTA Board of Directors.
“We are delighted to be a partner on this new service. When the community comes
together to provide opportunities for job seekers and employers to connect, you
know you have a winning combination. I can’t say enough about the
commitment that RTA and MTA have made in this regard,” said Christine
Bradley, Executive Director of the Middle
Tennessee Career Center.
Funding for the new Route 11 is provided
with the aid of federal Jobs Access money
through the RTA, and the state departments of
Transportation and Human Services.
For additional information about the #11
Connector, visit the MTA website at www.
nashvillemta.org, the MTA Information booth at
Deaderick and 5th, the driver’s break room, or
call Customer Service at 862-5950.
◄ Councilman Phil Ponder promotes
the new #11 Connector Bus Route at
the Opry Mills Career Center.
(L to R) Paul Haynes, Middle TN Career
Center; Marian Ott, Chair, MTA Board of
Directors; Tom Atchley, Chair, RTA Board
of Directors
Several people from the Donelson Senior Center and
other special friends and Partners in Transit rode the
#11 Connector to Opry Mills on March 31.
Page 3
MTA Newsletter, Spring 2003
Boshers Completes Federal
S a f e t y Tr a i n i n g P r o g r a m
New Paratransit Buses
t o b e D e l i ve r e d t h i s S p r i n g
Tommy Boshers, Safety and Training
Director, received certification from the U. S.
Transportation Department in December for
successfully completing five safety and
security programs:
• Transit System Safety (1/2001)
• Effectively Managing Transit
Emergencies (12/2001)
• Transit Bus System Safety (4/2002)
• Transit System Security (6/2002)
• Fundamentals of Bus Collision
Tommy Boshers
Investigation (12/2002)
These classes were offered to Safety and Security people who
wanted to improve their knowledge of Safety and Security issues
that are prevalent in the transit industry.
Only two people in the State of Tennessee have all five
certifications.
AccessRide customers will soon be riding in 12 new
paratransit buses that are scheduled to be delivered to MTA in
April and May of this year. The vehicles also are part of MTA's
5-Year Capital Improvement Plan to rebuild an aged fleet.
Proposals for the new vehicles were received last fall and
evaluated by a five-member committee. Bluebird of Tennessee
presented the best proposal, out scoring two other competitors.
Each vehicle will cost a little less than $57,000, with a 2.5
percent price increase over the next four years due to expected
Ford Chassis price increases.
Bluebird was awarded the five-year contract that allows MTA
to standardize on future selection of buses, realize a better price
through volume discounts, and reduce the requirements of an
"as needed" or annual procurement process as grant money is
available.
From the CEO’s Desk...
(continued from page 1)
stops. They feature the
schedule of buses stopping
where you are standing as
well as a schematic map
showing you where the bus is
going and where it came
from. This effort is being
funded by a special
appropriation of $150,000
from the Metro Council and
its Finance Committee under
last year’s chairman, Jim
Schulman.
We also are purchasing a
number of electronic signs
similar to displays at airports
and train stations that will
display the expected arrival
times of buses at certain key
stops in our system. Several
handheld readers for visually
impaired customers “read”
the information in an audible
format.
Improved signage on the
buses—Some of the current
destination signs are almost
unreadable; the new signs on
our new buses will be larger,
brighter and in full color.
Improved services to
school students—At the
present time we run some
buses that are designed to
serve magnet school students
with one trip in the morning
and one trip in the afternoon.
For the next school year, we
are planning to adjust our
regular bus routes so that
students and other youth will
Page 4
have more bus options for
their trips to and from school.
In addition, a few of our
more aggressive and longrange goals include:
Bus Rapid [or Reliable]
Transit (BRT) —This involves
providing higher levels of
service in more dense
corridors, enhanced with
technological advances
including traffic signal
preemption, GPS based
digital readouts at bus stops
of next bus arrival, and
additional features designed
to move buses more quickly
through congested areas.
Nashville to Murfreesboro
and the West End corridor are
two key areas we are studying
for this type of service.
Replacing our main
Central Business District
(CBD) bus stop at 5th and
Deaderick with an off street
facility.
We are working with the
Mayor’s office on a plan that
would provide a facility for the
buses to load passengers
away from a busy street.
Heated and air-conditioned
waiting areas would be
provided as well as rest
rooms. Ticket sales,
information and other
vending opportunities also
would be available. We’re just
beginning to put this project
together and to undertake a
Bluebird of Tennessee presented best proposal for new
paratransit vehicles. Photo shows assembly of a new MTA vehicle.
study of potential locations.
Smaller buses in
neighborhoods—Due to the
structure of many
neighborhoods today, it is not
feasible to run big buses
through them. We plan to
explore utilizing smaller
vehicles, such as those used
for our AccessRide program,
to circulate in neighborhoods
and feed a main line bus at a
shopping center or other
major passenger generator.
Commuter Rail —The
Regional Transportation
Authority is building a network
of commuter rail lines in and
out of Nashville to the
surrounding counties. MTA
will partner with the RTA by
providing shuttle buses to
train stations and
supplementary services
between train stations in offpeak times. At the present
time we are developing a
bus/train fare system that will
be interchangeable and
accepted on both the buses
and the train.
Getting to where we want
to go will not be easy, cheap
or happen overnight.
Communication, partnering,
trust, and financial
responsibility will be the key
words in this process. We
have much to do at the MTA
to be the agency that our
board, the Mayor, and other
city leaders believe we can
be. With your help and
community support, I am
confident we soon will be a
quality public transit system
that is a viable transportation
option for our citizens.
MTA Newsletter, Spring 2003
N e w # 11 C o n n e c t o r B u s
R o ute Sta rt e d o n Ma rc h 31
A brand new bus route that is Metro-Davidson County's
second connector route was launched as a result of additional
funding by the Regional Transportation Authority.
The new service, which was free for MTA customers during
the first five days, runs on the southeast side and is one of only
two bus routes not traveling to the downtown area for transfers.
The Route 11 Connector begins at 100 Oaks Mall with stops
at Harding Mall, the Airport, Donelson Plaza, Gaylord Opryland
Hotel, and Opry Mills. In addition, passengers may transfer to
seven other MTA routes that cross paths with the #11 Connector.
"This is definitely a plus for regular riders such as myself. It is
not always convenient to travel all the way downtown for
transfers. Special connector
routes provide better linkages to
◄ (L to R) Paul Haynes, Director
of Operations and Business
Development, Middle TN Career
Center; Tom Atchley, Chair,
RTA Board of Directors; and Paul
Ballard, MTA Chief Executive
Officer cut the ribbon during
ceremony for new bus route.
New route map for #11 Connector
our local transportation network," said Tonya Blades, an MTA
rider. "I am impressed with the improvements underway at
MTA and hope they continue."
The MTA produced a radio commercial, colorful bus
schedules, bus signs, bus bench ads, post cards for
businesses, and posters for the three malls on the route as
part of its marketing efforts to promote the new service. In addition, merchants along
the route donated gifts and discount coupons for special promotional items for MTA
customers riding the #11 Connector during the second week.
"This new route represents a huge expansion to public transit in Davidson County,"
said Tom Atchley, RTA chair. "The partnership of MTA and RTA continues to provide
more transportation options in Middle Tennessee. We look forward to adding more
services as opportunities are discovered," said Atchley.
"Since federal Jobs Access funds are targeted for people who need to get to jobs,
we felt it made sense to have our kick off ceremony for the #11 Connector at a location
such as the Middle Tennessee Career Center’s Opry Mills site that matches people with
jobs," said Marian Ott, chair, MTA Board of Directors.
“We are delighted to be a partner on this new service. When the community comes
together to provide opportunities for job seekers and employers to connect, you
know you have a winning combination. I can’t say enough about the
commitment that RTA and MTA have made in this regard,” said Christine
Bradley, Executive Director of the Middle
Tennessee Career Center.
Funding for the new Route 11 is provided
with the aid of federal Jobs Access money
through the RTA, and the state departments of
Transportation and Human Services.
For additional information about the #11
Connector, visit the MTA website at www.
nashvillemta.org, the MTA Information booth at
Deaderick and 5th, the driver’s break room, or
call Customer Service at 862-5950.
◄ Councilman Phil Ponder promotes
the new #11 Connector Bus Route at
the Opry Mills Career Center.
(L to R) Paul Haynes, Middle TN Career
Center; Marian Ott, Chair, MTA Board of
Directors; Tom Atchley, Chair, RTA Board
of Directors
Several people from the Donelson Senior Center and
other special friends and Partners in Transit rode the
#11 Connector to Opry Mills on March 31.
Page 3
MTA Newsletter, Spring 2003
Boshers Completes Federal
S a f e t y Tr a i n i n g P r o g r a m
New Paratransit Buses
t o b e D e l i ve r e d t h i s S p r i n g
Tommy Boshers, Safety and Training
Director, received certification from the U. S.
Transportation Department in December for
successfully completing five safety and
security programs:
• Transit System Safety (1/2001)
• Effectively Managing Transit
Emergencies (12/2001)
• Transit Bus System Safety (4/2002)
• Transit System Security (6/2002)
• Fundamentals of Bus Collision
Tommy Boshers
Investigation (12/2002)
These classes were offered to Safety and Security people who
wanted to improve their knowledge of Safety and Security issues
that are prevalent in the transit industry.
Only two people in the State of Tennessee have all five
certifications.
AccessRide customers will soon be riding in 12 new
paratransit buses that are scheduled to be delivered to MTA in
April and May of this year. The vehicles also are part of MTA's
5-Year Capital Improvement Plan to rebuild an aged fleet.
Proposals for the new vehicles were received last fall and
evaluated by a five-member committee. Bluebird of Tennessee
presented the best proposal, out scoring two other competitors.
Each vehicle will cost a little less than $57,000, with a 2.5
percent price increase over the next four years due to expected
Ford Chassis price increases.
Bluebird was awarded the five-year contract that allows MTA
to standardize on future selection of buses, realize a better price
through volume discounts, and reduce the requirements of an
"as needed" or annual procurement process as grant money is
available.
From the CEO’s Desk...
(continued from page 1)
stops. They feature the
schedule of buses stopping
where you are standing as
well as a schematic map
showing you where the bus is
going and where it came
from. This effort is being
funded by a special
appropriation of $150,000
from the Metro Council and
its Finance Committee under
last year’s chairman, Jim
Schulman.
We also are purchasing a
number of electronic signs
similar to displays at airports
and train stations that will
display the expected arrival
times of buses at certain key
stops in our system. Several
handheld readers for visually
impaired customers “read”
the information in an audible
format.
Improved signage on the
buses—Some of the current
destination signs are almost
unreadable; the new signs on
our new buses will be larger,
brighter and in full color.
Improved services to
school students—At the
present time we run some
buses that are designed to
serve magnet school students
with one trip in the morning
and one trip in the afternoon.
For the next school year, we
are planning to adjust our
regular bus routes so that
students and other youth will
Page 4
have more bus options for
their trips to and from school.
In addition, a few of our
more aggressive and longrange goals include:
Bus Rapid [or Reliable]
Transit (BRT) —This involves
providing higher levels of
service in more dense
corridors, enhanced with
technological advances
including traffic signal
preemption, GPS based
digital readouts at bus stops
of next bus arrival, and
additional features designed
to move buses more quickly
through congested areas.
Nashville to Murfreesboro
and the West End corridor are
two key areas we are studying
for this type of service.
Replacing our main
Central Business District
(CBD) bus stop at 5th and
Deaderick with an off street
facility.
We are working with the
Mayor’s office on a plan that
would provide a facility for the
buses to load passengers
away from a busy street.
Heated and air-conditioned
waiting areas would be
provided as well as rest
rooms. Ticket sales,
information and other
vending opportunities also
would be available. We’re just
beginning to put this project
together and to undertake a
Bluebird of Tennessee presented best proposal for new
paratransit vehicles. Photo shows assembly of a new MTA vehicle.
study of potential locations.
Smaller buses in
neighborhoods—Due to the
structure of many
neighborhoods today, it is not
feasible to run big buses
through them. We plan to
explore utilizing smaller
vehicles, such as those used
for our AccessRide program,
to circulate in neighborhoods
and feed a main line bus at a
shopping center or other
major passenger generator.
Commuter Rail —The
Regional Transportation
Authority is building a network
of commuter rail lines in and
out of Nashville to the
surrounding counties. MTA
will partner with the RTA by
providing shuttle buses to
train stations and
supplementary services
between train stations in offpeak times. At the present
time we are developing a
bus/train fare system that will
be interchangeable and
accepted on both the buses
and the train.
Getting to where we want
to go will not be easy, cheap
or happen overnight.
Communication, partnering,
trust, and financial
responsibility will be the key
words in this process. We
have much to do at the MTA
to be the agency that our
board, the Mayor, and other
city leaders believe we can
be. With your help and
community support, I am
confident we soon will be a
quality public transit system
that is a viable transportation
option for our citizens.
MTA Newsletter, Spring 2003
MTA Newsletter, Spring 2003
Special Kudos
Worth Sharing...
On 12/20/02, a customer
service representative
received the following
compliment on Angela Cruz,
who was driving the #20 Scott
on December 19. "...she went
out of her way to provide
information on MTA's holiday
schedule to me and another
passenger. After explaining
that the service would be
running, she went a step
farther and got off of the bus
on a cold and rainy
evening to retrieve the
holiday flyers from the
information booth for
us. This driver should
receive recognition for
her great attitude and
good customer skills.
She is always very
courteous to the
passengers."
On 1/17/03, MTA's Chief
Executive Officer Paul Ballard
received the following e-mail:
"I'm a Metro employee....and a
frequent rider on the
Rivergate Express or the
Gallatin Road buses. I wanted
it to be noted how much the
MTA is appreciated by this
user. Whether it be bad
weather or another reason
why I use the services, I can
be assured that the bus will
arrive as closely to schedule
as possible. The friendliness
of your bus drivers are very
well noticed. Thank you for
great service!!
On 1/19/03, within an
article in the Tennessean
regarding the January
snowstorm, a magnet school
parent is quoted as saying, "It
was only the helpfulness of
MTA's customer service staff
that kept them relatively
calm..." while her husband
spent much of the day waiting
at the Bellevue bus stop for
her son to return.
On 1/22/03, a customer
called the customer service
center to state "...the driver,
Vicki Douglas on the #28
Meridian, is very nice and has
a nice attitude. When it
snowed she was very calm
and pleasant. This made
everyone feel more confident
Page 2
about riding with her in the
snow or any other day."
On 1/30/03, Marian Ott,
MTA Board Chair wrote: “The
Board of Directors would like
to extend a special thank you
to all who worked so tirelessly
on Thursday and Friday
(January 16 & 17) during one
of Middle Tennessee's worst
snowstorms. At the recent
Board of Directors meeting,
we heard from the MTA
management staff about
your courageous efforts
and commitment to our
customers on these two
critical days. Because of
your efforts, all of our
riders eventually arrived
home safely.
As Board Chair, I had
the privilege of receiving
compliments from Mayor
Purcell on the professionalism
and customer focus of the
MTA during the inclement
weather. The MTA Board of
Directors would like to add
our praise for your
professionalism in driving in
the wintry conditions as well
as your good humor in dealing
with our riders…"
M TA Te s t i n g C l e a n e r F u e l
Coffee with the CEO
A cleaner fuel is being
tested at MTA as part of a
$100,000 pilot project
funded by the Tennessee
Department of
Transportation.
The fuel is called biodiesel and is a mixture of
80 percent diesel fuel and
20 percent organic fuel,
which comes from organic
feed sources, including
soybeans. Using bio-diesel
results in lower emissions of
particulate matter, carbon
monoxide, toxic
contaminants, sulfur dioxide,
hydrocarbons, visible smoke
and noxious odors. The
Environmental Protection
Beginning in April, MTA's Chief Executive Officer Paul Ballard
began a series of meetings with personnel in the various
departments to hear comments or suggestions for improvements
and share his long-range vision for MTA. The meetings are
scheduled to last one hour and are an opportunity for employees
to have one-on-one dialogue with the CEO about various issues.
"We are hoping the result will be great suggestions from
frontline staff and a better understanding of the goals, objectives,
and strategies that will continue to move us forward as an
agency," Patricia Harris-Morehead, MTA's Director of
Communications said.
The first of the series of Coffees was held with Maintenance
employees on Wednesday, April 2 at 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Listed below are confirmed dates for future Coffees with the
CEO.
• Wed., April 23 at 8:30 and 9:45 a.m.— Customer Service and
Communications
• Wed., May 14 at 9:00 a.m.— Finance Department
• Wed., June 11 at 9:00 a.m.— Human Resources and Planning
All employees will be given opportunities to attend the
meetings with the CEO.
Agency considers bio-diesel
an alternative fuel.
Bob Baulsir, Assistant
General Manager, said MTA
will use the fuel in up to 16
buses over a one-year period
as part of the pilot project.
The first bus using bio-diesel
was fueled February 28.
Baulsir said maintenance
factors and reliability, along
with reductions of emissions,
will be tracked during the test
period. “If everything is
satisfactory then we’ll look at
the funding issue,” he said.
Bio-diesel costs from 35 to 40
cents a gallon more than
regular diesel.
Union, DTO Negotiate
3 - Ye a r L a b o r P a c t
A three-year labor agreement has been negotiated between
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1235 and Davidson Transit
Organization. Negotiations took several months and involved
good-faith bargaining by both parties.
Issues that were resolved in negotiations included wages,
probation period, excused time off for Union business, pension
changes, and insurance.
The agreement was supplemented by a Memorandum of
Agreement on a new absenteeism policy and a Memorandum of
Understanding combining fulltime AccessRide operators and bus
operator work forces.
New Buses (continued from page 1)
suburban configuration
low-floor buses. Each bus will
cost about $275,000. The
Gillig buses are among the
best on the market according
to mass transit experts.
"This contract is a
remarkable deal for top of the
line buses such as the Gillig.
These buses have several
important attributes for
customers and operators,"
Paul Ballard, MTA Chief
Executive Officer said. "For
example, the wide doors and
generous front aisle width
provide better accessibility;
the slide out and flip out
ramps exceed ADA standards
and make it much easier for
all of our customers to ride
with us on these buses."
In addition, the modified
front structure allows
increased range and height
adjustment of the driver's
seat, which comfortably
accommodates a variety of
drivers. The improved body
refinements of the Gillig
buses reduce windshield
reflections, which will improve
visibility according to the
manufacturer.
As a part of the initial bus
order, the Regional
Transportation Authority (RTA)
has agreed to pay the full
additional cost for two
suburban configuration
buses. These buses will be
used on the longer trips to
destinations such as
Murfreesboro,
Hendersonville, and Lebanon.
The longer bus routes call for
enhanced passenger
amenities such as high back
seats, individual reading
lights, and luggage racks.
The MTA issued a
Request for Proposals (RFP)
for the purchase of the new
buses on January 15, 2003. A
five-member panel that
included Bob Baulsir, Tommy
Boshers, Pat Downs,
Emmanuel Edwards, and Ed
Oliphant evaluated all
proposals. Based on the
consensus of the evaluation
committee, Gillig presented
the best proposal. Gillig also
submitted the lowest price
proposal and the fastest
delivery schedule. Gillig's
best and final offer for the
first year is $275,490 each
and the tentative delivery
completion date is May 31,
2004.
Staff Promotions
Employee
Michael Howland
John Patton
Mary Johnson
Timothy Mix
Jeffery Beaty
Donnie Golden
Patrick Leek
Anthony Alexander
Tameka Copeland
Robert Greene
Danny King
Claude Uhls
Greg Johnson
Marilyn Yokley
Phillip Stewart
Richard Maxwell
Jim Eaton
Ric Rocha
From
“A” Greaser
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
“A” Mechanic
“A” Mechanic
Janitor
Reservationist
“A” Mechanic
Bus Operator/Suprvsr
Operations Supervisor
Operations Supervisor
To
Date
“A” Repairman
3/30/03
FT Bus Operator
2/23/03
FT Bus Operator
2/23/03
FT Bus Operator
2/23/03
FT Bus Operator
2/23/03
FT Bus Operator
2/23/03
FT Bus Operator
2/23/03
FT Bus Operator
2/23/03
FT Bus Operator
2/23/03
FT Bus Operator
2/23/03
“A” Specialist
2/23/03
“A” Specialist
2/23/03
“A” Repairman
2/16/03
Senior Reservationist 1/12/03
“A” Specialist
1/5/03
Operations Supervisor 1/5/03
Assist. Dir. of Operations 1/5/03
Facilities & Purch. Mngr. 1/5/03
Hunley Takes Quick Action for Safety
Appreciation is extended to Ramond Hunley for his response
during an accident scene when his bus was hit by an automobile.
The automobile burst into flames and Hunley reacted quickly by
putting the fire out with his extinguisher. Thanks to his concern
for the safety of others, a life may have been saved.
Customer Service Center
Moves to Main Office
On February 17, 2003, MTA's customer service staff moved
into their new offices located in the new communications wing
and in the lobby area of the central office.
"In order to enhance communications within our agency and
with our customers, we felt it made sense to relocate our
customer service personnel from the Clement Landport to the
main office where operations and other administrative staff are
located," said Paul Ballard, Chief Executive Officer. "We are very
pleased to have them in the new offices designed especially for
them."
Individuals interested in purchasing bus tickets or monthly
passes may purchase them at either the Nestor Street customer
service office, the downtown ticket booth at 5th and Deaderick,
by mail, or by calling 862-5950 or 880-3286 (TTY) Monday
through Saturday.
The customer service office and call center hours also have
been revised.
Customer Service Call Center
Monday–Friday
Saturday
Sunday
6:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Closed
Downtown Information Booth & Ticket Office
Deaderick and 5th Ave., Shelter A
Monday–Friday
Saturday
Sunday
6:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Closed
New Customer Service Ticket Office
130 Nestor Street, Lobby Area
Monday–Friday
Saturday & Sunday
8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Closed
Gone Fishing: MTA Retirees
The following employees have recently retired
from the MTA. They are going to be missed. We
would like to extend them our best wishes.
Douglas Brewer
Ronald Marshall
Edgar Hunter
Donnie Watson
Sammy Graham
Bus Operator
Bus Operator
“A” Repairman
Bus Operator
Bus Operator
27 years on 12/1/02
27 years on 1/1/03
28 years on 4/1/03
30 years on 4/1/03
27 years on 4/1/03
The MTA Family Continues to Grow
As the MTA continues to grow and expand our services, we
would like to welcome our NEW Employees:
Mortis Brown
Alvin Dunn
Perry Ingram
George Moss
Kenneth Strickler
William Woodard
Octavius Patterson
Jackie Perkins
Gregory Chatman
Mark Daniels
Timothy Davidson
Johnathan Grigsby
Dequila Howard
Bernard Merrell
Roy Metcalf
Troy Phillippie
Annette Fehland
Heather Wilson
Jeffery Beaty
Mary Johnson
Timothy Mix
John Patton
Kathryn Deising
Vera Ostojic
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Reservationist
Reservationist
Bus Operator
Bus Operator
Bus Operator
Bus Operator
Bus Operator
General Helper
General Helper
General Helper
Eligibility Specialist
Revenue Aide
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Bus Operator Trainee
Communications Assist.
Custodian/Laborer
3/31/2003
3/31/2003
3/31/2003
3/31/2003
3/31/2003
3/31/2003
3/17/2003
3/17/2003
2/24/2003
2/24/2003
2/24/2003
2/24/2003
2/24/2003
2/24/2003
2/20/2003
2/17/2003
2/10/2003
1/29/2003
1/27/2003
1/27/2003
1/27/2003
1/27/2003
1/6/2003
1/6/2003
Page 5
130 Nestor Street
Nashville, TN 37210-2124
Phone 615-862-5969
Fax 615-862-6208
ADA Coordinator
862-4325
880-3286 (TTY)
Check our Web Site at
www.nashvillemta.org
BILL PURCELL, MAYOR
Metropolitan Government of
Nashville and Davidson
County
MTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Marian T. Ott, Chair
Lewis Lavine, Vice Chair
William L. Barnes, Member
E.L. Collins, Member
Gail Carr Williams, Member
OFFICERS
Paul J. Ballard,
Chief Executive Officer
Julian W. Blackshear, Jr.,
Secretary
EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor
Patricia Harris-Morehead
Graphic Design Artist/
Assistant Editor
Kathryn Deising
Contributing Writers
Paul Ballard
Jim Bender
Tommy Boshers
Patricia Harris-Morehead
Editorial Assistance
Bob Baulsir
Ellen Davis
Amy McDaris
Joan Smith
Photography
Gary Layda
Lee Jackson
Rob McElhaney
Kathryn Deising
If you have suggestions for
future articles, please
submit them to the
Communications office.
Page 6
Sun Power Used to Light
Shelter
Name the
Newsletter
MTA is using the power of
test will be to see that the
the sun to light one of its
unit lives up to the
shelters.
manufacturer’s claim and
Testing of the solar unit is
actually provides light for 10
taking place at the Harding
hours with just a battery,”
Mall bus shelter located at
Jackson said.
Nolensville Road and
Harding Place.
Fleet Manager Lee
Jackson said the test
unit, which cost
$3,500, is less
expensive than
installing traditional
wiring. “In addition,
MTA saves the cost of
electricity,” he said.
The solar-powered
unit has a battery
backup designed to
keep the shelter
illuminated for 10
New solar powered shelter in front of
hours. “Part of the
Harding Mall
The Communications staff
is pleased to present this first
edition of the newly revamped
MTA newsletter. Our plans
are for this publication to
come out quarterly with a
spring, summer, fall, and
winter issue. We have not
decided on a new name for
the newsletter, but have
come up with a few ideas.
Please cast your vote for the
following suggestions, or if
you have another really clever
name, submit it and get
several other employees to
submit the same name. The
winning name will be
announced in the next issue.
M TA P r o p o s e s
Improvements to School
Services and Fare Structure
The Metropolitan Transit
Authority recently held three
public hearings to hear from
the general public on
proposed improvements to its
youth transportation services
and current fare structure.
The meetings were held at
three local magnet schools so
that parents, students, and
others could review a
presentation on a proposed
reconfiguration of the
system's current magnet
routes.
If appropriate funding is
secured, the improvements
would create three new bus
routes and provide more
service on five other routes.
This proposal would give
students and members of the
general public more options
for traveling with the MTA
throughout the day because
more buses would run more
frequently. In addition, the
term magnet school buses
will no longer be needed
because the more frequent
service will be available for all
members of the public as
stipulated by the Federal
Transit Administration.
Also, during the hearings,
officials presented
information on a proposed
restructuring of its fare
structure. At the present
time, the MTA offers a variety
of fixed route fares, passes,
and tickets that is often
confusing for the public.
These categories are the
zone, zone with monthly
parking, day pass, discount
day pass, three-day pass,
discount three-day pass, and
weekly discount pass.
"We are attempting to
streamline and simplify our
fare structure. Instead of
having these 7 different types
of fares, we hope to have
three basic fares that are
reasonably priced for adults,
youth, seniors, and people
with disabilities," said MTA's
Chief Executive Officer Paul
Ballard.
MTA Newsletter
A Newsletter for Employees and Special Friends of
the MTA of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee
Spring 2003
2 5 N e w G i l l i g B u s e s H a v e B e e n O r d e r e d f o r M TA
Suggested newsletter names:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
The Transit Line
The Transit Connection
The Transit Movers
The Transit Word
The Transit
The Fuel Line
The Bus Line
The Bus Ride
The Bus Connector
The Bus Record
The Busy Bus
The Ride Connection
The Connection
The ChatterBus
The Information Line
Please circle one of the
above choices or submit
another name. Complete the
information below and place
your choice or suggestion in
the Communications
Department mailbox in the
lobby area by May 1, 2003.
_________________________
Name
_________________________
Phone Number
_________________________
Department
Suggestion:
Volume 1, Issue 1
Gillig demo bus displayed in front of MTA offices on February 27.
F r o m t h e C E O ’s D e s k . . .
other economic activities. We
On January 28th
are important to the economic
I completed my first year at
health of this region, and the
MTA. It’s been quite a year
health of our citizens also is
and we have made significant
tied to an effective public
progress in our efforts to
transportation
become one of
system.
the best public
In our strategic
transit systems in
plan, we have
the nation. And,
committed to
we could not have
adding 100,000
made such
passenger trips in
progress without
each of the next
the assistance of
five years. We are
MTA employees,
establishing goals
our board of
that will make us a
directors, the
significant partner
Metro Council,
in reducing the
Mayor Purcell,
growth in traffic
and his staff.
congestion and air
I appreciate
quality issues, and
the contributions
Paul J. Ballard
we have pledged to
each of you are
make MTA and public
making and I am convinced
transportation more relevant
our agency can play an even
to more people.
more important role in this
Opening a dialogue with
community as Middle
university officials is one
Tennessee continues to grow.
strategy. Improving customer
We carry some 7 million
services, and purchasing new
passengers a year to jobs,
equipment such as the 25
health care facilities, and
The Metropolitan Transit
Authority Board of Directors
recently approved the
purchase of 25 new 40-foot
low-floor buses for the MTA.
The new buses are part of the
5-Year Capital Improvement
Plan to rebuild our aged fleet.
The new buses will be
much lower to the ground,
which will make them easier
for people to access.
After a tour of one of the
buses on display in front of
the MTA offices on February
27, the board convened its
monthly meeting and voted to
approve the $6.9 million
purchase.
"We have been waiting for
this day for a very long time.
It is a day in which we are
truly making a significant
investment in public transit in
Middle Tennessee," Board
Chair Marian Ott said.
A very well-respected
California-based company,
Gillig, Inc., was awarded a
five-year contract that allows
the MTA to standardize its
future selection of buses,
obtain a better price through
volume discounts, and reduce
the requirements of an "as
needed" or annual
procurement process.
Over this five-year period,
MTA will have the option to
purchase other standard
low-floor buses and 40-foot
Continued on page 2
Operations Supervisors Receive New Cars!
Four new Ford Taurus’ were decaled for the Supervisors in
January. Pictured with the new cars (L to R) are Hugh Taylor,
Ellis Scruggs, Charles Mitchell, Robert Hatch, Richard Maxwell,
and Kym Zerfoss. Not pictured are Mark Betts and Tom Daniels.
new 40-foot buses are others.
In addition, we are
pursuing a number of other
initiatives:
Improved and simplified
bus maps and schedules—
Materials for the next
schedule changes will be
easier to read and
understand. We also are
planning enhancements to
our web site and expanded
customer service telephone
hours.
More information at the
bus stops—We are developing
better signage at our bus
Continued on page 4
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