KINGMAN, Ariz. – At a special Kingman City Council meeting Tuesday, June 23, it was unanimously approved to continue the Yellow Bus route through the end of FY2026-27 which ends June 30, 2027.
At the last council meeting,Vice Mayor Cherish Sammeli asked for an update from City Manager Tim Walsh.
Walsh reported that Mohave County Board of Supervisors Travis Lingenfelter and Don Martin committed to $30K but asked they extend the route out to the Mohave College Advanced Manufacturing Training Center at the Kingman Airport Industrial Park.
“That’s something we’ll be looking at as we go through this,” Walsh said.
He said they have also been working with Mohave College and Mohave Mental Health and have a total commitment of $55K toward the funding for the bus line.
Walsh stated that in updating the budget and finalizing the numbers because of personnel changes, the city has come up with an additional $50K in savings.
All that was needed to save the route was $100K per fiscal year. This combined money will save the Yellow Bus through June 2027.
In the meantime, Walsh said, they will dive into the entire transit system to see where they can be more efficient and save money, and also look further into the on demand program.
The city also wants to find an agency that will handle advertising on the inside and outside of all buses, another funding source to keep the Yellow Bus going permanently, he said.
County Supervisor Don Martin attended the meeting. During the public hearing portion he said personally he has always supported keeping the Yellow Bus. And professionally?
“On behalf of Mohave County, I’m pleased to report that due to the efforts of Chairman Travis Lingenfelter, County Manager David Strahl, and I had a little to do with it, we are going to absolutely be part of this and we’re going to contribute $30K to this fund to keep that Yellow line open.”
He added that he had spoken to a lot of people who told him they absolutely had to have the Yellow line.
“It’s just something we can’t live without,” Supervisor Martin said. “I hope you all see the same thing and we keep this line open.
So, for now, it’s saved, for at least a year.
Connie “Ceejay” Jones
