Mass Transit In County?

Mobile County Commission Merceria Ludgood A disabled man from Semmes is taking the wheel in an effort to get county-wide public transportation.

by Tiffany Craig

Published: Fri, July 24, 2009 - 4:20 pm CST Last Updated: Fri, July 24, 2009 - 4:24 pm CST

A Semmes man is trying to get public transportation for the disabled in Mobile County.

Tom Maples is a quadriplegic after a boating accident ten years ago. He had hopes of going back to work as a nurse one day but is limited because of transportation. Maples owns a van with a lift but always needs to rely on someone else to get him where he needs to go.

Maples has approached Mobile County Commissioners about securing money to start rural mass transit but hasn't had any luck yet. He knows it will take time and money but he's not giving up. "People in the rural area need to be able to access doctors and work opportunities in the urbanized areas of Mobile."

As timing would have it, County Commissioner Merceria Ludgood has just been chosen to be part of a statewide team that will research transportation needs.

Below is the information sent to us by the Mobile County Commission.

"Mobile County Commissioner Merceria Ludgood has been selected by the Association of County Commissions of Alabama to serve as its representative on the new Statewide Public Transit Commission.

The new Commission has been asked to research the needs and benefits of public transportation and to make funding recommendations. “I hope that a coordinated statewide effort will help us set priorities and win more federal grants for our public transportation,” said Ludgood. “This is a vital public service that is important to residents and to our economic development efforts.

”Among the specific tasks of the 23-member commission, it has been asked to determine how the state can: respond to mobility needs for a changing urban workforce; meet the needs of rural communities; serve the special needs population; and spur economic development and urban revitalization.

The Statewide Transit Commission was established by legislative act in April of this year and is asked to report its findings by 2011."

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carl Says:

Sun, Jul 26, 2009 at 5:55 am

Seems we traveled this route a good while back when we were talking about a mass-transit system to save oil and pollution in the county.I guess it’ll be rehashed again,and again nothing will happen,but is needed non the less.

claycitymadness Says:

Sat, Jul 25, 2009 at 8:19 am

good luck tom, its good to see you again.

eee222 Says:

Sat, Jul 25, 2009 at 8:13 am

In American local government, a consolidated city–county is a city and county that have been merged into one unified jurisdiction. As such, it is simultaneously a city, which is a municipal corporation; and a county, which is an administrative division of a state. This is distinct from an independent city, which is a city that is not deemed by its state to be located within the boundaries of any of the state’s counties; but is recognized by the state as a separate legal territorial entity, distinct from its surrounding or adjoining counties. However, an independent city can also result from the consolidation of a city and a county. The highest concentration of large consolidated city–county governments in the United States is in the Midwest and upper south, where Indianapolis, Indiana; Nashville, Tennessee; Louisville, Kentucky; Kansas City, Kansas; and Lexington, Kentucky are located. Duplication of services have been eliminated and cost lowered. In the case of Mobile county not only would you gain from becoming part of a “metro” form of government with a greater voice, but also have services that are not even available now. Another prime example of this system is Jacksonville,Fl. Something the people of Mobile and Mobile county might want to explore.