Bus service in Clayton County will end March 31, 2010.
The county commission voted 4-1 Tuesday night to terminate its contract with MARTA, which operates C-Tran, the county bus system. About 2.1 million rides were taken on C-Tran buses during the last fiscal year, according to MARTA.
Some 200 people wearing red shirts in support of MARTA staying in the county attended the meeting. The vote was met by their displeasure.
Alice Young, who lives on Tara Boulevard, said she takes the bus five times a week to her job on Fulton Industrial Boulevard.
"I think it can be overturned. If we have until March, the people can get this changed," Young said.
She said she supports a fare increase as long as there are no cuts to service.
County commissioner Michael Edmondson said when C-Tran started five years ago it was funded 100 percent with federal monies that no longer exist.
Edmondson said although he voted to shut down the bus service, he felt the board's hands were tied.
"We don't have a local funding source," he said. "We're obligated to fund police, fire roads and other services. We have to then choose between libraries, rec centers, the battered women's shelter and other services with our money."
Shirley Razzano, who attended the meeting in a wheelchair, said she takes the bus five times a week to get to her job at the Internal Revenue Service. "I have no other transportation. We need this," said the Jonesboro grandmother.
Commission Chairman Eldrin Bell voted against the measure. During the public comment phase of the meeting, he chastised the audience to stop cheering and clapping. Afterwards, instead of clapping audience members waved white towels and paper to show their support for those speaking in favor of retaining C-Tran.
MARTA has run the county bus system since April 2007. According to an AJC study, the county spends about $10 million per year to operate C-Tran, but only collects $2.5 million in revenue.
MARTA board chairman Michael Walls said he immediately thought about the riders when he heard the news.
"What about the people there?" he said. "The whole ideal of this county that serves basically the airport region ... I can't imagine the effect that's going to have on employers at the airport and on the workers that don't have any other way to get there."
C-Tran bus driver Gary Frank told the commission that he was disappointed that 4 of the 5 commissioners did not show up at a public hearing last week to listen to residents concerns about bus cuts.
"How dare you turn your back on the citizens of this county," a fired up Frank told commissioners. "You didn't show up to the last meeting and that was very disrespectful. Come ride with me."
Bell was the only commissioner to attend the public hearing.
About two dozen police officers and firefighters used metal detectors and wands to search residents as they entered the packed meeting. The metal detectors and increased police presence are not usual at county commission meetings.
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