MEMPHIS, Tenn. — As layoffs loom for the Memphis Area Transit Authority next month, city leaders are trying to hold off on the cuts until next year while they find a way to improve service. The public transit agency has proposed laying off hundreds of workers as it works to correct a $60 million budget deficit. Those layoffs are set to begin Nov. 3, but Mayor Paul Young wants to extend that date until Feb. 3. to give the administration time to identify a funding source. TransPro, a consulting agency brought in to audit the agency's operations, says MATA needs to be hiring — not firing — bus drivers as part of a long-term solution. More drivers would help cut overtime costs of more than $1 million this year and improve bus service, which has some riders waiting as long as two hours for a bus, said John Lewis, principal with TransPro. "This is a spiral that will continue to worsen as you put more stress on the current staff," Lewis said. Mayor Young and City Council member Edmund Ford Sr., chairman of the council's Transportation Committee, agree. "November was the deadline for laying off people, and we want to stop that asap," Ford said. But that leaves a big question for the city council and the mayor — where to find that money. MATA to slash hundreds of jobs, bus routes and trolleys Tuesday, Lewis offered a presentation to the council on the state of MATA's operations, and Lewis did not hold back on what his company viewed as a failure to provide basic service. He said MATA has failed to satisfy customers because of fleet conditions, staffing shortages, and misaligned spending priorities. Customer satisfaction dropped 49% from 2018 to 2024, and MATA ranks among the lowest in the nation. The reasons were poor on-time performance, long travel times and low frequency of service. MATA serves 24 bus routes currently, and more than half of them have intervals of more than one hour — some as long as two hours. "Imagine standing at the bus stop, and you miss that bus and have to wait two more hours before the next bus comes," Lewis said. "There isn't another system in the country that has headways, or intervals, of two hours." Lewis said his company has worked with MATA in the past, but its board has been unwilling or unable to make recommended changes. "We find ourselves not surprised at the situation the agency finds itself in," Lewis said. A change is coming,’ says new MATA board member Last week, Mayor Young replaced MATA's entire board with new members. "This is a hard reset. We got some hard work to do over the next couple of months to really stabilize this organization and get it to the place where it is really serving the citizens in the manner they deserve," Young said. Young offered a brief description of the new board members: Brandon Arrindale, Financial management  Cynthia Bailey, Community activist, works with bus rider union Emily Greer, HR manager  Sandi Klink, Knew her from his work with the housing community. She works with the Center for Independent Living  Brian Marflak, VP from FedEx, works in logistics planning  Jackson McNeil, Urban planner, works with local nonprofits and works in transportation-type planning Anna McQuiston, President of the development district in this area, brings regional lens  Dana Pointer, CEO of Preserve Partners, finance  Maya Siggers, attorney, private practice