Passengers board a Galveston Island Transit bus at the downtown transit terminal Wednesday. Funding delays have caused the city to reduce its weekday service hours.
JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News

A Galveston Island Transit bus leaves the downtown transit terminal at 25th and Strand streets in Galveston on Wednesday.
JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News

GALVESTON -Delays in and uncertainty about state and federal funding for public transportation during the 2024 fiscal year have caused the city to reduce its weekday service hours for the island-wide bus system, including routes for buses with wheelchair access, according to a Wednesday announcement.

Galveston Island Transit on Feb. 1 would begin operating its fixed and para-transit routes from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, cutting about 90 minutes of service time, Marissa Barnett, city spokeswoman, said.

“By reducing the service hours during the week, Galveston Island Transit will reduce operating expenditures by an estimated $250,000 per year,” Barnett said.

“This 1.5 hour reduction in weekday service hours was selected because it’s the timeframe with the fewest riders and would be the least disruptive to Island Transit ridership.”

Transit funding is delayed because Congress has not passed certain appropriation bills and the delays in federal funding also have delayed state transportation funding, Barnett said.

“In addition, Galveston has not received any federal funding for two years (fiscal year 2022 and fiscal year 2023) because of delays finalizing the 2020 Census count.

“Galveston has been operating public transportation on reserves and it is necessary to exhibit fiscal responsibility and reduce operating expenditures in an effort to preserve transit services until the appropriation bills are passed in Congress.”

The city might receive a partial share of federal funding, but the Federal Transit Administration won’t consider partial apportionments until five months of the fiscal year have passed, Barnett said.

Galveston could possibly receive a partial apportionment of funding in March, but the amount and date is undetermined, she said.

The fixed routes and ADA complementary para-transit services, which includes door-to-door pickup for those with mobility issues, currently operate on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., according to the city. Saturday bus service hours will remain unchanged and operate from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., according to the city.

“Island Transit selected the new time frame based on ridership and what would be least disruptive to riders, with ridership being the lowest between 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.,” Barnett said in a statement.

“If state and federal transit funding is restored, Island Transit will reevaluate the weekday hours.”

Service hours for the rubber wheel and rail trolleys will remain unchanged. To learn more about Island Transit’s hours and operation, visit galvestontx.gov/islandtransit.