A set of grants totaling $2.2 million from the Memphis Metropolitan Planning Organization to the city and Memphis Area Transit Authority is aimed at pedestrian, bicycle and mass transit projects.

That includes $500,000 for MATA’s Crosstown corridor route as well as $150,000 to install 400 bike racks along MATA routes and bike lockers at MATA transit stations.

2. MATA on Track to Begin Trolley Test Runs - Friday, February 24, 2017

You should start to see trolleys on the tracks in a few months, the CEO of the Memphis Area Transit Authority said Thursday, Feb. 23. But getting on one of the trolleys that have been out of service for more than two years will probably have to wait until the end of the year.

3. Last Word: MATA and the TBI, Fieldstone Gets Bigger and Wedge Bills - Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Since Gannett bought The Commercial Appeal there has been a lot of speculation about what would remain of the Memphis operation in a newspaper chain known for consolidating not just in-house parts of the publishing process but the reporting side too. The biggest question in the air was the fate of the large printing presses at the CA. And Monday evening, there was an answer.

4. TBI Did Not Influence Garrison Resignation - Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland and the Memphis Area Transit Authority board knew MATA president Ron Garrison had been charged with patronizing a prostitute before Garrison’s resignation last month for “health reasons.”

5. Last Word: Immigration Order React, State of State Preview and The Haven - Monday, January 30, 2017

Lots of reaction from state and local leaders Sunday to President Trump’s Friday executive order on immigration that will likely dominate the action this week on Capitol Hill in Washington after a weekend of action and reaction.

6. Garrison Exit From MATA Coincides With Push for More Public Funding - Monday, January 30, 2017

When he first got to Memphis in the summer of 2014, Ron Garrison got asked the same question a lot – did he know how difficult the job leading the Memphis Area Transit Authority would be.

7. Former MATA CEO Garrison Charged in Human Trafficking Sting - Friday, January 27, 2017

UPDATE: MATA released this second statement Friday afternoon:

On January 26, 2017, Ron Garrison formally notified MATA Board Chair Sean Healy that for health reasons he was resigning effective immediately.  His resignation was promptly accepted.  Earlier today the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced that former MATA CEO Ron Garrison was arrested in conjunction with a Human Trafficking Sting operation here in Memphis.  While Mr. Garrison’s  criminal charges will be resolved by the courts, MATA does not condone Human Trafficking or any other violation of the law. 

8. Last Word: The Business of Local Sports, Garrison Leaves MATA and Broadband - Friday, January 27, 2017

Marc Gasol makes the NBA’s Western Conference All Star team as a reserve, the first player in the history of the Grizz to make the All-Star Game three times.

Grizz business operations president Jason Wexler asked about Memphis hosting an NBA All-Star Game one of these days at The Daily News Sports Seminar Thursday at the Brooks. Wexler saying the city doesn’t have enough hotel rooms – the same barrier to drawing bigger conventions and meetings to the city.

9. Garrison Resigns As Head of MATA - Friday, January 27, 2017

Memphis Area Transit Authority president and general manager Ron Garrison has resigned the leadership of the city’s public transportation system, citing health reasons.

10. MATA Delays December Bus Changes - Monday, November 28, 2016

The Memphis Area Transit Authority has called off a Dec. 11 start for a series of route and service changes to the city bus system because a new planning team recently replaced MATA’s professional planning staff.

11. Last Word: MATA Plans Bigger, Tiger Football Exits and Heartbreak Hotel Closes - Friday, October 28, 2016

With a set of route and schedule changes about to hit the streets in December, the Memphis Area Transit Authority is embarking on a larger more comprehensive change in the city’s bus system. It is nothing less than a rebuilding of the city’s public transportation system that starts the planning process in November.

12. MATA Ready to Develop Strategic Plan - Friday, October 28, 2016

The Memphis Area Transit Authority in November will begin developing a new strategic plan to rebuild Memphis’ transit system, according to MATA chief executive officer Ron Garrison.

13. New Routes, CEO Contract Approved By MATA - Thursday, September 29, 2016

The Memphis Area Transit Authority board of commissioners approved more than $500,000 in new bus service Tuesday, Sept. 27, including three new bus routes, and it extended the contract of MATA president and general manager Ron Garrison through 2022.

14. Last Word: Stewart Case Conclusion, River Re-View and Rhodes Hacks - Wednesday, September 28, 2016

81.4 million of you watched Monday’s Trump-Clinton debate which aired on 11 networks altogether, according to the preliminary numbers from Nielsen, the television rating business.

The day after the debate here in Memphis was a reminder of the urgent issues that will likely remain once all of the votes – popular and electoral -- are counted and estimated on Nov. 8.

15. Memphis City Council to Take Second Vote on Pot Ordinance - Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Memphis City Council members vote Tuesday, Sept. 20, on the second of three readings of an ordinance that would allow police to write a citation or ticket for possession of less than a half ounce of marijuana.

16. $4.3M Grant Has MATA Hopeful of Replacing Outdated Buses - Friday, September 16, 2016

The Memphis Area Transit Authority could add as many as 35 new buses to its fleet, which would reduce its high rate for road failure and maintenance costs.

The buses are possible through a boost in funding for capital expenditure and a recently-announced $4.3 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration.

17. MATA Awarded $4.3M Federal Grant to Replace Buses - Friday, September 9, 2016

The Memphis Area Transit Authority has secured $4.3 million in federal funding to purchase replacement buses, saving the system money by deploying new transit technology.

The grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration was announced Thursday, Sept. 8.

18. Last Word: Redbirds Box Office, Graceland's Ambition and Alley Parties - Monday, August 29, 2016

Last home game of the season for the Memphis Redbirds Sunday. The Redbirds lost to the Nashville Sounds 14-4.

By early Sunday evening, the Redbirds front office announced attendance at AutoZone Park was up this season by 17 percent compared to the season before.

19. Last Word: The Wiseacre Deal, City Hall Goes To Pot and TEDx Memphis - Wednesday, August 24, 2016

That was quick. Less than a week to come up with lease terms between the city and Wiseacre Brewing for the Mid-South Coliseum including a due diligence period that is the first order of business.

20. Giving Ideas Of Memphis ‘Rock Stars’ Bigger Stage - Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Eighteen people working in Memphis will bring their innovations to a global audience at the upcoming TEDxMemphis conference.

TEDx is an independent spin-off of the popular TEDTalks series, where thought leaders in the technology, entertainment and design sectors share their work and vision with a live audience.

21. Tommy Pacello Added To MATA Board - Saturday, August 13, 2016

Tommy Pacello has become the newest board commissioner for the Memphis Area Transit Authority.

Pacello was approved by the Memphis City Council at the body’s Tuesday, Aug. 9, meeting. He succeeds outgoing MATA board commissioner Charles “Chooch” Pickard.

22. Last Word: Lipscomb's Successor, MATA School Buses and Roland's Big Breakfast - Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Paul Young gets a lot more attention these days than he did when he was the first director of the city-county Office of Sustainability. The attention comes with being the city director of Housing and Community Development where virtually all of the funding comes from the federal government.
That federal funding has changed the face of public housing in the city in the last 25 years. There is only one large public housing project left in the city as a result of the federal funding and its use by Young’s predecessor, Robert Lipscomb.
And what Lipscomb did with the job combined with being the executive director of the Memphis Housing Authority is why a lot of people want to get to know Paul Young these days.
Our centerpiece story by Madeline Faber in Tuesday’s edition makes clear that Young has no desire to wield that kind of power. And it is unlikely anyone in the near future will have the kind of autonomy Lipscomb did.
But beyond that there is still the flow of a lot of federal dollars and Young has some ideas based on his experience in government and finance prior to coming to HCD – everything in government is initials.
It’s a much different experience than Lipscomb’s. Lipscomb coined the phrase “ending public housing as we know it” and at times that slogan wasn’t followed with a lot of detail about what came after public housing was demolished, especially with the first of the projects to fall.
The last public housing project, Foote Homes, will be demolished on Young’s watch which makes his tenure important if more limited than Lipscomb’s tenure.

23. Rapid Transit Option, Route Changes Designed To Make MATA More Relevant - Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Budget season is looming, and the Memphis Area Transit Authority is angling for an additional $8 million in operating funds and $5 million in capital improvement dollars to prevent significant cuts to service.

24. Last Word: Pastner's Georgia Tech Post-Season, Who Filed and Greensward Invitations - Friday, April 8, 2016

Not so fast with the off-season. There is a Memphis post-season after all.

And the Grizz found it Thursday like a light at the end of a long-tunnel where a lot of people slipped and fell and can’t get up.
The light was Houston flaming out at home to Phoenix without the Grizzlies having to make a basket.
It’s all about the math. Stay in school, young people.

25. MATA Board Approves Significant Route Changes - Thursday, March 31, 2016

Sixteen bus route changes will take effect in May at the Memphis Area Transit Authority.

The changes, which were approved at the March 29 meeting of the MATA board of commissioners, mark the first significant batch of route changes since MATA CEO Ron Garrison took the position in 2014.

26. Consultant: Rapid Transit Route Would Be a Boon for MATA - Wednesday, March 30, 2016

The Memphis Area Transit Authority is throwing its weight behind a new route that would connect Downtown to the University of Memphis area with a bus every 10 minutes.

Over the past two years, an outside consulting group has been working with MATA on the Midtown Area Connector plan. The aim is to improve connecting service from the inside out by focusing on a main artery in the urban core.

27. The Week Ahead: March 28-April 3 - Monday, March 28, 2016

Alright, Memphis, are you sure you found all your Easter eggs? Before you make one more sweep of the yard, check out this week’s roundup of local happenings – from the sweet sounds of “Zelda” to what’s being dubbed a “Mini-MEMFix” in East Memphis…

28. Strickland Backs MATA's Cost-Neutral Plan - Friday, March 4, 2016

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland is backing the plan by the Memphis Area Transit Authority to make some short-term adjustments to its route system later this year.

29. The Week Ahead: February 29, 2016 - Monday, February 29, 2016

How was your weekend, Memphis? We know what you’ll be doing Tuesday (voting, of course!), but plenty of nonpolitical happenings grace this week’s calendar too – from a trio of Grizzlies games to a fundraiser supporting fair housing.

30. Extra City Funding for MATA Faces Long Odds - Wednesday, February 24, 2016

After a year and a half as leader of the Memphis Area Transit Authority, Ron Garrison has emerged with a start on the bus system he wants that won’t cost the city anything more.

31. MATA Chief: System ‘On Verge Of Collapse’ - Thursday, February 18, 2016

The president and CEO of the Memphis Area Transit Authority said Tuesday, Feb. 16, that the city’s bus system will “collapse” without additional operating funds and city capital funding to buy new buses.

32. Garrison: MATA on 'Verge Of Collapse' - Wednesday, February 17, 2016

The president and CEO of the Memphis Area Transit Authority said Tuesday, Feb. 16, that the city’s bus system is “on the verge of collapse” without additional operating funds and city capital funding to buy new buses.

33. MATA ‘Thinking Outside the Bus’ to Overcome Funding Shortfall - Saturday, January 30, 2016

To accommodate for a chronic budget shortfall, the Memphis Area Transit Authority said that it has to start “thinking outside the bus.”

In January, Memphis was announced as one of the pilot partners of a new app that coordinates public transit with private Uber cars.

34. City Council Approves Colonial Conversion, Vintage Trolley Purchase - Wednesday, January 20, 2016

One of two golf courses at Colonial Country Club would give way to houses under a planned development approved Tuesday, Jan. 19, by the Memphis City Council.

The council approved a development that would turn the north course at Colonial into either a mix of single-family homes, townhouses and cottages or a mix of housing for senior citizens.

35. Memphis to Host Back-to-Back Transportation Conferences - Saturday, December 5, 2015

On Thursday, Dec. 10, Memphis’ status as a logistics hub and its future in inner-city transportation will be debated.

The University of Memphis will be hosting two back-to-back free conferences at the FedEx Institute of Technology. The Intermodal Freight Transportation Institute will host its ninth annual conference, dubbed The State of Freight, from 7:30 a.m. to noon, and the newly established University of Memphis Design Collaborative will host the Workforce to Work Transportation Summit from noon to 4:30 p.m.

36. Trolleys Will Stage a South Main Comeback - Saturday, November 21, 2015

Memphis trolleys are on track to return to South Main. U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen announced Thursday, Nov. 12, that the Memphis Area Transit Authority had received a $2.6 million federal grant to purchase three new electric rail trolleys.

37. Trolleys Will Stage a South Main Comeback - Friday, November 13, 2015

Memphis trolleys are on track to return to South Main. U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen announced Thursday, Nov. 12, that the Memphis Area Transit Authority had received a $2.6 million federal grant to purchase three new electric rail trolleys.

38. Memphis Mayoral Contenders Talk Public Transit - Thursday, September 24, 2015

The four major contenders for Memphis mayor all favor keeping the Mid-South Coliseum in some form and a Memphis Zoo parking garage.

But the positions were limited to yes-or-no answers during the Memphis Rotary Club debate Tuesday, Sept. 22, among Mayor A C Wharton and challengers Harold Collins, Jim Strickland and Mike Williams.

39. Making the Connection - Saturday, June 6, 2015

Archie Willis III had just earned his master’s degree in business at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill when he returned to Memphis in 1981 to help his father, A.W. Willis Jr., redevelop the Adler Hotel Annex.

40. Density Key to Central Station Timing - Tuesday, April 14, 2015

The redevelopment plan for Downtown’s Central Station is the expansion of the South Bluffs development of the 1990s. Or it is a bridge connecting the transformation of the old Cleaborn Homes public housing development to the east and maybe Foote Homes to come.

41. MATA Buses to Run on Main Street Mall - Saturday, April 11, 2015

The Memphis Area Transit Authority will run shuttle buses on the Main Street Mall starting Sunday.

MATA president Ron Garrison announced the temporary measure in lieu of restoring trolley service Wednesday, April 8, during a taping of the WKNO-TV program “Behind The Headlines.”

42. MATA Buses to Run On Main Street Mall - Thursday, April 9, 2015

The Memphis Area Transit Authority will run shuttle buses on the Main Street Mall starting Sunday.

MATA president Ron Garrison announced the temporary measure in lieu of restoring trolley service Wednesday, April 8, during a taping of the WKNO-TV program “Behind The Headlines.”

43. MATA to Run Buses on Main Street Mall - Wednesday, April 8, 2015

The Memphis Area Transit Authority will run shuttle buses on the Main Street Mall starting Sunday.

MATA president Ron Garrison announced the temporary measure in lieu of restoring trolley service Wednesday, April 8, during a taping of the WKNO-TV program "Behind The Headlines."

44. Love Song to a City - Saturday, March 21, 2015

As the story goes, Al Green wrote the lyrics to “Let’s Stay Together” in about five minutes. In 1972, the song – which spans just three minutes and 13 seconds – reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

45. MATA Head Draws Heat on Trolley Delays - Thursday, March 12, 2015

The president and CEO of the Memphis Area Transit Authority told a group of South Main residents and business owners this week the trolley system is “starting all over from scratch” and won’t be operational any time soon.

46. Morris: Public Transit Tops Downtown Goals - Thursday, January 15, 2015

A stronger and more vital public transportation presence in Downtown and a plan for development of land south of Central Station are two priorities of the Downtown Memphis Commission for the coming year.

47. Garrison Charts New Course for MATA - Tuesday, October 14, 2014

The new president of the Memphis Area Transit Authority wants more collaboration with groups that have ideas about where the city’s bus system can gain passengers while keeping those riders who depend on the bus system.

48. Trolley Report First Challenge for MATA Leader - Tuesday, September 30, 2014

For the new president and general manager of the Memphis Area Transit Authority, last week’s report on the authority’s grounded trolley system was an introduction to one part of the long-term challenges facing the agency that is public transportation in Memphis.

49. MATA President Vows New Standards for Trolleys - Saturday, September 27, 2014

The new president and general manager of the Memphis Area Transit Authority said Friday, Sept. 26, that he hopes to have some trolley cars up and running again by the end of the year.

But Ron Garrison also said the transit authority will be overhauling training and repair standards as well as trolleys in the wake of a report from the American Public Transportation Association that found MATA lacking in both areas.

50. Garrison Chosen to Lead Memphis Area Transit Authority - Wednesday, July 16, 2014

The Memphis Area Transit Authority board has picked Ron Garrison, a former head of the public transit system in Tallahassee, Fla., to be the next president and general manager of the Memphis bus system.

51. Archived Article: Newsmakers - Wednesday, October 13, 2004
MAAR Elects 2005 Officers

Womens Foundation Appoints Board Members

Rosie Phillips Bingham was appointed to chair the board of the Womens Foundation for a Greater Memphis for a two-year term. Newly appointed to the board were: Martha L. Perine ...