The Memphis Bus Riders Union and Citizens for Better Service want the Memphis Area Transit Authority’s (MATA) trustee and interim CEO Rodrick Holmes to resign, and for Mayor Paul Young and the Memphis City Council to reinstate the MATA board.
This request comes as the organization said Holmes’ trusteeship was touted as a “short-term” solution to stabilize the agency. Advocates said Holmes’ appointment was not meant to replace the MATA board.
Holmes was appointed as trustee and interim chief executive officer of the agency by city government in 2025. The decision was made as the MATA board was in the process of interviewing candidates for a permanent CEO position, which resulted in the cancellation of candidate interviews, with several board members resigning shortly afterward.
A spokesperson for the city confirmed that Young planned to reappoint the MATA board by September. The Bus Riders Union called on Young and the council to make good on this promise, while also asking for a transit leader that has “higher standards.”
“These standards include a commitment to accountability, moral leadership, reliable fixed-route services, proper bus shelters, and honest communication with the citizens of Memphis, especially those who depend on MATA for their transportation lifeline,” the groups said in a joint statement.
The transit advocacy groups said Holmes is an “experienced attorney” but said he lacked public transportation experience.
“Under Holmes’ leadership for nearly one year — which costs taxpayers $75,000 per month — the transit system remains [in] a state of emergency with no concrete plan to help bus riders who are trapped in a public transportation [system] which is stripping them of their dignity,” the statement said.
MATA has reported to city council to provide updates on transit operations under the leadership of Holmes. Bus Riders viewed an August 4th report to the council as a “pie-in-the sky progress presentation.”
Though Holmes announced a targeted fall return of the downtown trolleys and an increase in ridership, the us riders group said Holmes failed to fully address a “disgraceful 60 percent on-time performance rate.”
“Citizens for Better Service and the Memphis Bus Riders Union believe Holmes’ presentation of a functioning system is a far cry from the daily hardships endured by passengers waiting at bus stops for hours,” the statement said.
Other riders took their concerns regarding MATA updates to the council during its Tuesday meeting. Leo Arnault, a member of the Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope’s (MICAH) transit equity team, said Holmes failed to answer many of the questions they provided to the council on the morning of August 4th.
“We were shocked that no questions were asked by you of Mr. Holmes in his report,” Arnault said.
Arnault said they hoped the council would hold Holmes accountable.
