Facing shut down, Connect Transit to hold town hall to show its importance

NORMAL, Ill. — Facing a possible shut down in January, Connect Transit will host a town hall meeting next week to show state officials how important public transportation is to the area, Pantagraph reports.

The agency is among many Illinois public transportation systems facing budget issues because the state is behind on payments to them. Rural provider Show Bus, which serves seven Central Illinois counties, also is in danger of suspending service at an undetermined date.

Connect Transit's board passed a resolution Monday demanding the state release funding the system is owed, currently $5 million. Over a full year, the state pays Connect Transit $10 million, which equals 65% of the system's revenue. For the full story, click here.