Yates County residents will be without public transportation beginning in the new year as the county transitions to a new service provider.
The Yates County Legislature and Yates Transit Service (YTS) both issued statements on Friday outlining the situation. County officials announced that public transportation will be temporarily suspended during the transition from YTS to the Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA), which operates Regional Transit Service (RTS). The county expressed regret over the impact the suspension will have on residents who rely on public transit.
YTS also announced Friday that it will end its public transportation service on December 31. The nonprofit organization said it can no longer continue operating without sufficient funding from the county. According to YTS, it requested compensation of $2.50 per mile to offset an estimated $40,000 monthly operating loss incurred by its parent company, Mozaic, to maintain roughly a dozen county routes. The county countered with an offer of $1.25 per mile, which YTS rejected.
County officials cited a 2023 New York State Department of Transportation audit that identified nine issues with the transit system, including compliance problems related to contracting procedures. The audit found the county had not properly procured its public transportation vendor through a required public bidding process. The county also stated it had ongoing concerns with YTS service levels, though YTS continued to provide transportation despite those issues.
Earlier this year, the county formed an ad hoc public transportation committee and began efforts to contract with RTS, which, under state law, was not required to submit a request for proposals. Officials say they will continue to update residents on the transition timeline, the anticipated start date for RTS service once known, and any interim transportation resources.
County leaders estimate the transition period could last between 18 months and two years.
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