The Selma Times-Journal

Earlier this month, Greyhound announced that it would no longer provide service to Selma and 38 other bus stations in Alabama.

After several weeks of negotiations with Greyhound, the City of Selma and the state of Alabama, U.S. Representative Artur Davis announced Monday that bus service from Selma to Montgomery has been restored.

“When we learned a month ago that Greyhound was going to discontinue a lot of the stops in rural Alabama, we were disappointed,” Davis said. “We understood the decision from the corporate bottom-line standpoint – but for the people who use this Greyhound route – this was often the only vehicle of transportation to take them around the country.”

Last Tuesday, West Alabama Public Transportation (WAPT) – a company out of Demopolis – began transporting passengers to Montgomery from Selma. WAPT vans, which can accommodate up to 15 passengers, leave the Selma bus station daily at 7:45 a.m., 12:01 p.m. and 2:45 p.m.

“We are pleased to be in a position to provide continued ground transportation service to the people of Selma along one of the most historic bus routes in the nation,” said Bobby Armstead, WAPT Executive Director. “We look forward to offering the people of Selma reliable service to and from Montgomery as part of their travels today and well into the future.”

WAPT is assisted with the route by the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT).

“The Alabama Department of Transportation is pleased to have been a part of this collaborative effort to restore bus service from Selma to Montgomery,” said Joe McInnis, ALDOT director. “We look forward to continue working with WAPT and Greyhound to provide service to other locations in West Alabama.”

Both Davis and Mayor James Perkins Jr. said that this was not just a victory for the residents of Dallas County.

“People all around the Black Belt – Dallas, Wilcox, Perry, Marengo – all around this area, will be able to come to this station three times a day, get on the West Alabama transportation bus and ride to Montgomery to catch the regular Greyhound bus,” Davis said.

“This will not just have a local impact,” Perkins said. “It will have an impact on the region. “This is a huge benefit to all of us and we’re excited about being able to make this happen.”

“This is an example of what happens when partners come together and come up with real solutions for the good of the people living in this community,” Davis said.

Currently, there are only 12 Greyhound stations in Alabama. Davis said that WAPT, Greyhound and the ALDOT are discussing the possibility of opening additional routes in the state.