Moderator’s introduction

100331- Jonesboro - C-Tran bus driver, Pete Freeman waits for C-Tran riders to board for the last time at the Harold R. Banke Justice Center, 9151 Tara Boulevard in Jonesboro. When Clayton County's C-Tran bus system shuts down before midnight Wednesday, March 31, 2010 many passengers will be stranded. But for those who commute Monday through Friday to or from downtown Atlanta around standard office hours and can make it to one of the Xpress stops, commuter buses are an option. Fares are higher than C-Tran�s. For those paying cash (Xpress takes exact change only) it�s $3 one way, $5 round-trip. The Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA), which runs the buses, tried to add more routes that would fill the gap for about 25 percent of C-Tran�s riders, according to GRTA�s Jim Ritchey. But there was no long-term funding, so that won't happen. John Spink, jspink@ajc.com