Is public transit operation audited?

YCAT and Dial-A-Ride are public transportation operations with funding coming from public funds and co-pay by users. One question that comes to mind is who is responsible for auditing these operations?

I don’t mean just the financial audit, but also an audit of the operations. Grants that involve public funds sometimes put limits on the amount of funds that can be spend on administration. It is not uncommon for these amounts to be limited to 2 percent to 10 percent of the budget.

That amount is not just the salaries for the executives, but also the clerical and other office staff. What percentage of the budget is used for direct services to public? What percentage for equipment and maintenance of the equipment? What percentage to administration?

I believe that using public transportation is acting for the public good. Where I have lived before moving to Yuma, I usually bought a senior monthly pass for the use of the bus system. One place I had to take advantage of the park and ride lot as no route traveled close to me. Neither of these options were made available to me here.

How does it help the public good? For one thing, think of the cost that the taxpayers are paying for the work on 16th Street and Arizona Avenue right now. If a whole lot more people used public transportation, would all of that huge cost be needed?

There are hundreds of other examples, including environment, elimination of road rage ...  I’m sure several of you can think of many ideas.

B.J. Cook
Yuma