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Where Are the Buses? The Connections Between Transportation Funding and Class in Memphis, TN
Murer, Annie
Murer, Annie
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Public transportation—Tennessee—Memphis, Transportation and state—Tennessee—Memphis, Urban transportation policy—Social aspects—Tennessee—Memphis, Poor—Transportation—Tennessee—Memphis, Local transit—Finance—Tennessee—Memphis
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2025_rirs_murer.pdf
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Abstract
The connections between class mobility and public transportation have become increasingly prevalent in recent years, with once bustling public transit systems across the country dwindling. These connections are clearly present in Memphis, Tennessee, due to its unique geographical layout and public transit system. With one of the least funded public transportation systems for a city of its size, the Memphis Area Transit Authority, or MATA, faces barriers in providing adequate service to its riders. Inter-authority financial issues, coupled with funding issues that MATA faces, also help illustrate why service has diminished in recent years. Without reliable public transportation, issues of systemic poverty, unemployment, and job insecurity compound and proliferate. The real experiences of daily MATA riders display the interactions between class mobility and transportation beyond statistics. The inter-authority financial issues, coupled with the funding issues that MATA faces, also help to understand why service has been diminishing and how it affects bus riders. This research paper aims to display the true nature of the landscape of public transportation in Memphis, Tennessee, and how it affects the lives of Memphians and contributes to greater issues of class immobility.
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This document was received from the Rhodes Institute for Regional Studies and uploaded to Dlynx by Rosie Meindl during fall 2025.