News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Crossville Aldermen considering a new bus ordinance in a Tuesday work session to prevent individuals from being dropped off at abandoned business locations.
The ordinance would give the city flexibility of assigning a small penalty of up to $50 or denying business within the city. The ordinance would only apply to vehicles that participate in privately chartered services. Crossville City Attorney Randall York said the penalty of $50 in some cases is not enough.
“My thought process was well a lot of people could just ignore that and continue to pay $50 every time they are cited,” York said. “We also provided that it could be enforced through specific performance and restraining orders.”
Crossville City Manager Valerie Hale said the ordinance will require a business to obtain a permit to be a bus stop location and if the business switches locations or goes out of business then a new application will have to be submitted.
“We are asking that you put an ordinance in place to stop buses from dropping off individuals at a place of business that isn’t open,” Hale said. “To be very specific they have to have a business license. They have to be open and have regular business hours.”
Hale said the issue was coming from a particular bus company but did not name the company.
“It’s a chain bus service,” Hale said. “I don’t want to mention any names but it’s a bus line for the general public.”
The ordinance was prepared after multiple county prisons dropped released prisoners at an abandoned gas station next to Waffle House just off I-40. Crossville Mayor RJ Crawford said the ordinance would ensure the safety of individuals waiting for buses and those being dropped off. The council will consider the ordinance next week.
