Miami-Dade's mayor has suspended the county's transit director over free public transportation fares, saying the department didn't seek proper approval for the plan.
Department of Transportation and Public Works Director Eulois Cleckley has been immediately suspended for two weeks without pay, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said in a memo addressed to the board of commissioners Monday.
"I support a community-focused approach to utilize our public transit system fare-free for the holiday season; however, the proper processes were not followed in the roll-out of this plan," Levine Cava wrote.
The department planned to make fares on county buses and the Metrorail services free of charge starting Nov. 13 until the end of the year as part of phase two of the county's Better Bus network.
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Levine Cava said the announcement over free fares was made without her awareness or approval and guidance on its fiscal impact from the county's budget department.
"My administration, with the support of the Board, has been closely focused on strengthening our transit system and showcasing the value of ridership," Levine Cava wrote. "Free fares will support increased usage and promote interest in transit as we introduce the new route alignment under the Better Bus Network – but proper approvals must always be followed to ensure continued fiscal accountability and responsibility."
Despite the director's suspension, the free fares program will continue, a county spokesperson said. Chief Operations Officer Jimmy Morales will oversee the department in Cleckley's absence.
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Approved in 2021, the Better Bus network is touted as a community-led effort to make public transportation in Miami-Dade County more efficient and reliable. Some of the changes include a major overhaul that will affect almost all of the bus routes across the county.
