Associated Press Published

Charleston – Huntington Buses Need Funds to Continue Running

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Transit officials are looking for funding to keep buses running between Charleston and Huntington.

The Intelligent Transit bus service’s funding will expire on June 30.

Kanawha Valley Regional Transportation Authority assistant general manager Doug Hartley says unspent repair money will allow the service to operate for at least a few more months.

Hartley tells the Charleston Daily Mail that KRT is working with state and federal officials to find additional funding.

The bus service is a joint operation of KRT and the Tri-State Authority in Huntington. Hartley says it costs about $150,000 annually.

When it launched in 2009, the bus service carried 9,066 passengers. Since then, ridership has increased to 13,451 in 2014.