Calvert County Commissioners voted last week to reduce public transportation services in the Dunkirk area after the county received flat funding from the Maryland Transit Authority (MTA). The county anticipated the MTA to fund 50% of the route’s cost.

As reported by Southern Maryland Newspapers Online,

Keeping the same level of service would require an additional $34,031 on top of the county’s 50 percent match of $27,229, for a total local funding need of $61,260, according to a staff memo.

Although Commissioners expressed concern about the reduction in service and the effect it may have on constituents, they approved the reduction.

The Dunkirk route has been in service since Sept. 30, 2013, with ridership averaging 222 passengers per month, which has remained flat over the past year. The route is used by residents going grocery shopping, to medical appointments and to county facilities. The route is also an expansion of the Americans with Disabilities Act service, as regulations permit pickups to passengers living within a ¾-mile of a regular service route, according to the staff memo.