The Transit Authority of River City is now offering more frequent bus service to riders along two of its busiest routes.TARC is using a $1 million, one-year federal grant to add eight buses to the Dixie and Preston Highway and Broadway/Bardstown Road routes. Mayor Greg Fischer and TARC Executive Director Barry Barker held a news conference and boarded one of the buses Tuesday to promote the service.The expansion means buses arrive at stops every 15 minutes on weekdays. TARC was forced to make some deep cuts and eliminate stops and services last year to close a $5 millionbudget shortfall. TARC is funded largely through occupational taxes, and has been hard-hit by high unemployment. But Executive Director Barry Barker says the authority's fiscal picture is slowing improving."Our funding is looking promising. The occupational license fee is up a little bit. Stay tuned for what happens in Frankfort or Washington," he said.Barker says he hopes the added service will attract new riders and demonstrate to government decision-makers the need for additional public transportation funding.(Photos by Dalton Main)
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.