MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The latest numbers show MATA provides rides for just over 318,000 passengers a year, but those trips aren't always smooth. WREG Investigators met Laura Hunter at a bus stop next to a Midtown grocery store on a Wednesday afternoon. She'd left her home in South Memphis at 9 that morning. "I made it up here about 11," she said. "I have to ride the bus to take care of my business and grocery shopping. Doctor's office sometimes." Laura Hunter Around 1 p.m., she had finished her grocery shopping and errands. She had been waiting at the stop for an hour. The plan was to take the bus to Cleveland Street, where she'd hop on another to get back home. "I have to ride the bus to take care of my business and grocery shopping. Doctor's office sometimes," she explained. "I just be stuck here and have to wait in a rain, storm, whatever, until one show up." The 74-year-old is disabled and relies on public transportation. She said this is the worst it's been since moving to Memphis nearly two decades ago. "One of my grandsons came down with leukemia. We had to come to St. Jude," she said. "I love Memphis. I love Memphis, but I just hate the way things are." We then said goodbyes as we saw a bus pull up to the stop. It never stopped though and left us all confused. Hunter chased after it in her motorized wheelchair, but the driver refused to let her board or the other man who'd been waiting at the stop. Laura Hunter tries to catch up to a MATA bus in her motorized wheelchair. The driver wouldn't let her board. "You see? You see for yourself we deal with drivers," she told us as the bus drove off. "He said he saw me at the stop, but I wasn't there. I was talking." Hunter said this has happened before, and she's used to it. She decided to journey three-quarters of a mile to her next stop to make sure she caught the next bus to get home even though there was concern her wheelchair could run out of battery. Thankfully, she made it to the stop at Cleveland and Union safely. Again, she waited. Buses were seen going every other direction. It wasn't until 3 p.m. a glimmer of hope was spotted in the distance. That quickly faded when the bus's sign read "out of service." It still pulled up to the stop, but refused to let anyone else on. One rider yelled this was messing with lives. "It was out of service, so now we are still waiting," Hunter said. Hunter was waiting for the Crosstown Route, also known as the 42. More than 4,000 people board it during the weekdays. According to MATA's website, it's one of their more popular routes. It runs from Frayser Boulevard to East Holmes, and buses should be passing each stop every half hour. She waited and watched countless car pass her that Wednesday evening. Cars that were headed home, to their families or to somewhere warm. "I feel bad. I feel bad. I'm not angry. I'm just so disappointed in the system. I know it could be better in this," she said. We asked what happens on the days she needs perishable items. She told us she prays the bus comes a little sooner. On that day, she wanted ice cream, but said she knew it would never make it. At 4:45 p.m. that Wednesday, as the sun started to set, a bus finally pulled up and let Hunter board. She was hungry, cold and exhausted. It had been three and a half hours since we met her. She spent more than six hours waiting and riding a bus just to get groceries at a store less than three miles form her home. For most, patience would have run out. Hunter has no choice. Laura Hunter finally catches a MATA bus after hours of waiting. What did MATA have to say? We showed Hunter's story to MATA's Interim CEO Bacarra Mauldin to see what she had to say. "I've been that person waiting for a bus and relying on them to get from point A to point B. it makes me very sad," Mauldin said. "I don't know if that customer is listening, but I definitely apologize for that experience. That is not the MATA standard." She went on to say, Hunter's story validates why MATA needs more investment, especially for training and supervision. MATA staff followed up with WREG Investigators. They asked for Hunter's number, so they could call and apologize. They also asked for more information about that first bus that passed Hunter, so they can follow up and investigate. ► You may not take a public bus, but the Memphis Area Transit Authority’s success or failure still impacts you. WREG Investigators have spent months digging deeper into the transit authority and its $60 million deficit. We pored through records, listened to hours of meetings and pressed for answers as we work to find out what went wrong. Hear from riders and our top leaders who fear what would happen to the entire community if it’s not fixed. Catch the 30-minute special, MATA Missteps, Monday at 6:30 p.m.