Texas Transit Agency Faces Financial Demise

Valerie Wigglesworth has been closely monitoring the sorry state of financial affairs of TAPS Public Transit, which serves communities in the North Texas counties of Collin, Clay, Cooke, Fannin, Grayson, Montague and Wise.

"The financial picture for TAPS Public Transit seems to be one step forward, two steps back," according to Wigglesworth's most recent report. That assessment came after an audit from the Texas Department of Transportation "that found problems with records submitted to the state agency for reimbursement between September 2013 and July 2015." The one step forward in this case, was a reimbursement from TxDOT that allowed TAPS to finish its November 6 payroll.

Other bad news from the article includes layoffs and a cancellation of a multi-year contract with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. "Last week, the cities of Frisco and McKinney also voted to terminate their contracts with TAPS," adds Wigglesworth.

An article by Wigglesworth from September reported on the debts owed by the agency, owing $4 million at the time and "expected to end the fiscal year between $800,000 and $1.6 million in the red." At the time, the transit agencies woes were contributing to "missed rides, unpaid bills, and long waits," according to the article.