Transit Planning

Part of the MPO’s role in the region is to plan for and promote public transit facilities and specialized transportation to connect individuals to their community and region. Public transportation in the Memphis region includes various modes, such as van pool services, paratransit for senior citizens and people with disabilities, trolleys, local and express bus service, and water taxis.

The MPO works closely with the staff and leadership of the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA), the region’s primary transit provider, to plan for the current and future transportation needs of residents across the region. Several plans and studies have been completed to assess the need for transit in new parts of the region, as well as to provide enhanced service within existing coverage areas.

For information on existing MATA bus and trolley service, or to plan a ride, please visit www.matatransit.com.

Transit Planning Efforts

Memphis 3.0's Transit Vision

As part of the City of Memphis's 3.0 Comprehensive Plan effort, MATA in partnership with the Office of Comprehensive Planning and Innovate Memphis developed the Transit Vision, MATA's next long-range transit plan. Developed with extensive input from the public, stakeholders, and elected officials, the Transit Vision provides a Draft Recommended Network of Memphis's bus system.

For more information on the plan, visit Memphis 3.0's Transit Vision Webpage.

View and/or Download MATA's previous plan, the Short Range Transit Plan.

Coordinated Public Transit - Human Services Transportation Plan (CPT-HSTP)

The Memphis MPO, in partnership with the West Memphis MPO, the West Tennessee RPO, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), the Arkansas Department of Trabsportation (ArDOT), and the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) developed the current CPT-HSTP.

For more information regarding the plan, visit the CPT-HSTP Webpage.

Bus Stop Design and Accessibility Guidelines

In 2017, the Memphis MPO, in partnership with the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA), completed a study that establishes a set of standards and guidelines for bus stop improvements in the future. 

For more information regarding the study, visit the Bus Stop Design and Accessibility Guidelines Webpage.