]

STEVEN A. McCALEB
103 ALVERADO DRIVE
LONG BEACH, MISSISSIPPI 39560
PHONE & FAX: (228)-868-8428

E-MAIL: mccaleb4thdist@aol.com or mccaleb4thdist@aol.com

WEB SITE: www.mississippiwebsite.com

News

Posted on Tue, Sep. 30, 2003

New CTA head seeks rider input

MISSISSIPPI
GULF COAST

I believe CTA has gone so far down, the non-profit, wasting your tax money company should be closed.

I reported about Coast Transit Authority, (CTA) 333 Debuys Road, Gulfport, Mississippi. Which is the Mississippi Gulf Coasts public transportation company. This company was purchasing ( Mississippi Safety Inspection Stickers) for there 70 + buses, and other vehicles, using a purchase order number. They, (CTA), not being an authorized inspection station, and were not having there buses and other vehicles inspected by an authorized inspection station was beyond Mississippi Law.
This could mean that any person which rode on a CTA bus during this period could file a lawsuit against CTA citing Safety reasons.

CTA loses $1.5M in federal money
click here

By MIKE CUMMINGS
THE SUN HERALD

GULFPORT - Kevin Coggin was named executive director of Coast Transit Authority by its board of commissioners on Friday.

Coggin, 45, has worked for the public transportation agency for 14 years. The former director of maintenance operations, Coggin stepped in as acting director after Reid Hopper resigned from the top post in July.

"I'm ready to get started," he said Monday. "We're going to work very hard on marketing and cutting operational costs."

He said CTA will begin conducting weekly passenger interviews to devise ways to improve its services. The agency is working closely with Gulf Regional Planning Commission to develop a public outreach program to increase ridership.

Gini Fellows, chairwoman of CTA's board of commissioners, said the board wanted to fill the director's office from within its current staff.

CTA wants park-and-ride lots soon
click here

"Kevin has shown leadership ability and he understands the direction the board wants the company headed in," she said.

She said Coggin must find ways to streamline CTA's day-to-day operational costs as it expands and improves its services.

CTA Losing More Than $1 Million In Federal funds
click here

Fellows said CTA will continue to implement its ambitious park-and-ride program, a system of bus terminals in Gulfport and Biloxi designed to alleviate traffic congestion and improve air quality.

The first park-and-ride terminal is under construction in downtown Gulfport across from the new federal courthouse.

Mike Cummings can be reached at 896-2393 or at mcummings@sunherald.com.

You are now entering a form

We want to hear from you!

Please send us your questions or comments. We will try to answer them within five business days to provide you with professional and courteous service.

    Your Name: 
Email Address: 
      Subject: 
    Telephone: 

      Address: 
       Line 2:  
         City:   State: 
          Zip:                 


In the event of an inaccurate Email address, please provide your telephone number
(with area code) and a home/business address where you can be contacted.

Message: Text of Message: I would like to obtain a list of names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of the, "Coast Transit Authority" Gulfport, Mississippi. Coast Transit Authority 333 DeBuys Road Gulfport, MS 39507 Phone: 228-896-8080 Fax: 228-896-8081 coasttran@coasttransit.com I have requested this information before but it seems CTA wants to be a secret society. Please Respone Sincerely, Steven A. McCaleb

Local

Posted on Sat, Sep. 27, 2003

CTA shrinks bus fleet to 1

Riders are few in Moss Point, Pascagoula
MISSISSIPPI
GULF COAST

By NICHOLAS COLE
THE SUN HERALD

JACKSON COUNTY - Sometime next week, the Coast Transit Authority will stop running one of its two buses that have been rolling in Moss Point and Pascagoula for the past five months.

Not many people are using them.

CTA launched the buses on a trial basis in April and had committed to keeping them running through September. After that, CTA had planned to compile a report on bus use, so that city leaders could determine how much the two cities need public transportation.

However, CTA officials said last week that they will not submit a report. Instead, CTA will keep one bus in place for six more months while trying to focus on ways to improve ridership.

"We want to see what can be done to keep these buses running," said Kevin Coggin, CTA's interim executive director. "The one bus still running will serve both cities."

He said an average of eight people a day ride the buses in Moss Point and Pascagoula.

If city officials in Pascagoula and Moss Point decide to keep the public transportation, it would cost them a combined $40,000 annually. The trial program has been free for the cities, and officials said CTA will continue to pay for the one bus.

Moss Point Mayor Frank Lynn said he doesn't believe the bus is needed in Moss Point.

"Every time I see the bus, nobody is on it," Lynn said. "We're trying to save money, and paying for buses without passengers doesn't help us."

Pascagoula City Manager Kay Johnson said councilmen are waiting for a report from CTA before they make a final decision. "Clearly if Moss Point doesn't do it, then we probably won't because both cities were to split the bill," Johnson said.

"In my opinion," Lynn said, "nothing can be done because we can't afford it, no matter how you look at it."

Marie Payne, 42, of Moss Point, who sometimes rides the bus, said she believes the buses benefit the community. "But people just aren't using it religiously," she said. "I don't have a car and having these buses around sure does make things a lot easier for me."

Lynn said he sympathizes with residents like Payne, "but a handful of people a day wouldn't justify paying to have the bus in Moss Point."

Nicholas Cole can be reached at 769-5438 or at nicholascole2@aol.com

STEVEN A. McCALEB
COMMENTARY
MY OPINION