START bus service may face cuts as federal money drops

START bus riders and families who depend on it for work, school, and after-school schedules should pay attention this week: county transportation staff say START "will receive less Federal funds" this year, and the Town and County may have to either cut service or spend more General Fund money to keep service at recent levels, according to a staff Q-and-A included in the Aug. 13 meeting packet staff report.

This is not a new problem, it is the same federal funding cliff START has been warning about since early summer. A July 6 START funding update to the joint Town Council and county commissioners laid out the numbers: federal support drops from about $4.9 million in Federal Fiscal Year 2026 to about $3.4 million for 2027, leaving roughly a $1.5 million gap if local leaders want to avoid service reductions START funding update packet. The packet lists possible cuts staff have been reviewing, including reduced Town Shuttle frequency mid-day, fewer late-evening trips, fewer commuter round trips, and tighter On-Demand hours, along with possible fare increases.