Rural public transit is a critical need for Missouri’s vulnerable population, according to Dorothy Yeager of Columbia. She’s Executive Director of OATS Transit, which services 87 counties in Missouri. She told Missourinet that funding for public transit is not a frivolous expense.
“It is almost like a utility. It’s like the Police Department, fire department,” she said “It’s important to communities and it helps keep people in their rural communities, keep them in their homes.”
OATS Transit is a non-profit organization that receives funding from both the state and federal governments. Missouri lawmakers cut funding for public transportation by 42% in the current state budget, which Yeager said resulted in a $1.8 million hit to OATS’ operating budget.
“We lost $900,000 this year in state funding,” Yeager said. “That translates into actually $1.8 million in loss because we would (have used) that state funding to match federal.”
And now there’s discussions in Washington about eliminating all federal funding for public transit. Yeager said that would be “devastating” for rural public transit in Missouri and elsewhere.
“If they have a way to get to the doctor, to the grocery store, to their dialysis appointments, they will be able to remain longer in their own homes and not have to move into assisted living or into a larger community where they have access to services,” she said. “They can stay in their rural communities.”
In all, there are roughly 30 companies that provide rural public transportation in Missouri. Yeager said that all 114 counties have access to rural public transit.
Copyright © 2025 · Missourinet