As demand grows for rural transportation, funding decreases, at least in Minnesota

Amid increased demand from Minnestota's aging population and workers without automobiles, but a budget shortfall has forced rural transportation providers to turn some customers away, Dan Olson of Minnesota Public Radio reports. We expect a similar story could be told in other states.

The state is home to 61 public rural transit agencies that provided 12 million rides last year, and ridership is up 10 percent in each of the last three years. But cuts in state and other funds for rural transit have cause some services to eliminate routes. State Department of Transportation transit planner Tom Gottfried tells Olson that surveys show a jump in demand in the near future despite a $400,000 budget cut to rural transit providers. He anticipates another cut of $1.5 million on the way.

Budget cuts have also affected non-profit providers' ability to obtain grants. Rather than increase taxes, Richard Covey, a volunteer driver for a non-profit, sees charity as the solution. "I can't take care of the people up in Minneapolis; I can't take care of the people over in Ethiopia, but I can take care of the people in Vernon Center and in the surrounding community," he told Olson. (Read more)