Residents urge Kingman council to retain Yellow transit route, saying cuts would harm seniors and workers

During public comment at the June 16 meeting, several residents and service providers urged the Kingman City Council to reverse or postpone a planned elimination of the Yellow CART route that serves New Kingman, Butler and Birdland.

Miranda Herring, who has organized petitions and met with state and county officials, said she rode the route and collected testimony to document impacts on seniors, people with disabilities, veterans and low-income residents who use transit for medical care, work and recovery services. "My goal through this process has been simple: to ensure that all relevant facts, funding requirements, community impacts, and legal obligations are fully understood before a vital public service is permanently removed," Herring said.

Angel Manor residents and staff described day-to-day dependence on the Yellow bus. Wendy Weaver, director of Angel Manor Recovery Homes, said roughly 40 program participants use the route and that the service is essential for their return to independence: "Just about every single person in my ministry rides the Yellow bus," Weaver said, adding that clients are required to use transit after 45 days of treatment to build independence and access employment.

Resident Anne Lynch cited the city's short- and long-term transit plan (Feb. 2022 using 2019 ridership data) and said the Yellow route historically recorded the highest average weekday boardings, lowest cost-per-rider and highest fare recovery rates; she urged the council to review updated ridership figures before removing the route.

Council members were briefed that the yellow-route decision may be revisited as part of upcoming budget discussions; Ward, Staley and others requested an update be included in the next budget adoption materials so the council and public can track progress on funding and alternatives.

Next steps: council indicated the yellow-route status will be included in the forthcoming budget item and a follow-up update will be scheduled in July as part of budget adoption materials.