TARC Eliminates Four Routes, Makes Cuts to Dozens More

Route eliminations and service cuts are on the way for some customers of the Transit Authority of River City – or TARC. But the organization’s board of directors approved fewer cuts at a meeting this (Monday) morning than had been proposed.TARC officials had proposed the elimination of ten routes and service cuts to 22 others in an effort to fill a two-million dollar budget gap for the current fiscal year. After receiving over 250 comments from the public, the transit system’s planners have reduced those route eliminations to four, with changes to about 24 others.TARC Executive Director Barry Barker says they responded to the needs of their riders, but still haven’t found a way to fix their financial problems.“We’ve still got a budget crisis," says Barker. "What we’ve done is in essence reduce the amount of savings we’re going to have. We’re going to need to make that up someplace.”The cuts approved by the board will save the organization a little over 400-thousand dollars this fiscal year.