Denise Martin is trying to get as many people as she can reach to understand her concerns about a change coming to Mobile’s public transit system, something which she says will radically alter commuting for low-income and elderly Mobilians.

Her concerns come ahead of a rollout, expected sometime this month, of a more modern transit system called Second Line Transit, which will replace the Wave Transit as the city’s new public transportation and busing system.

“I’ve mostly rode the bus for most of my life,” said Martin, 71, a frequent bus rider since 1984. “Now they are — the mayor and the council members — want to change and cut routes. Some people used the bus to go to work. I’m trying to stand up for us to understand the value of it.”

Martin has joined a small number of residents who, in the past, expressed their concerns to the Mobile City Council. But she says she has also gathered 1,200 signatures on a petition requesting a halt to the changes.

“They might want to change it (soon), and I’ve heard it could be six months from now,” Martin said. “But someone has to speak up for us. I’m willing to be the one to speak up for the people. We put people in office to work for us not against us. Why are you going to come in and bring in something that will make it further for us to walk to get where we want to go?”

Changes await

Indeed, change is imminent for Mobile’s long-established public busing system. The new Second Line Transit was branded in April, and a rollout was announced for sometime in July. That has not happened yet, though an update will be requested of Mayor Spiro Cherigotis’ administration during Tuesday’s Mobile City Council preconference meeting.

“With this Second Line, hopefully, it will help people in not waiting at a bus stop for so long so they can get to an appointment a lot faster,” Councilman Cory Penn said, adding that he plans to request an update on the service’s start date next week. “That’s the goal. If it doesn’t work, we’ll be an advocate for the people and tweak it.”

The reason for the change comes down to the public investment in a system that rolls out large buses with low ridership. The city, in seeking a change, decided to partner with New York-based Via Transit LLC to launch a modern, more reliable transit system. Under a $12.1 million annual contract approved last year, Via is tasked with reimagining Mobile’s transit system, including replacing Wave transit buses with smaller vehicles.

The new network is expected to integrate improved technology with a coordinated system of trolleys, fixed-route buses, microtransit, and paratransit services.

Penn said it’s a change that is likely being met with anxiety among older Mobilians long accustomed to the Wave buses and who are less likely to use a cell phone app to coordinate their transportation.

“I remember my mom getting her first smartphone – and telling her to get a smartphone, though she was used to the older cell phones (and was initially hesitant),” Penn said. “Now she thinks the smart phone is the best thing ever. I think sometimes change is a problem when people are used to doing something. This is a trial to see how it works and of course, we cannot dictate and but we can be an advocate. If that doesn’t work, we can be an advocate to say that is not working.”

Immediate improvements

Cheriogotis’ administration is banking on the new system to be a big improvement over what has long been in place. In fact, during last year’s mayoral race, Cheriogotis elevated public transportation as a key initiative if he was elected mayor. He also floated the idea of instituting trolleys in Mobile, an idea that still has advocates, especially in the Henry Aaron Loop area of downtown Mobile.

Dale Liesch, spokesperson for the administration, said that while a rollout for Second Line is coming, Via has been operating Wave since October 2025 and has successfully addressed past problems.

He said that before Via came on board, roughly 20 percent of the Wave transit’s scheduled buses did not run as planned, leaving many residents without a dependable service. He said the recent changes have dropped that figure to “approaching zero.”

WAVE is now fully staffed thanks to a “robust hiring and training which has eliminated a driver shortage that had previously led to canceled routes and unnecessary overtime, Leisch said. Software improvements have reduced the time dispatchers spend scheduling trips by 75 percent, which allows staff to focus more on assisting riders and keeping buses on time, he added.

Forthcoming advantages

Concerns about lost routes will likely be handled with the new system. Some of the concerns, Liesch said, will be addressed when Second Line Transit officially rolls out.

• It will honor all previous WAVE bus stops either through fixed-route service or through on-demand microtransit vehicles.
• The new system will be more accessible, reaching 50,000 more people than the current system.
• The goal is for no rider to travel more than a quarter mile to a bus stop when rollout is complete, and the average rider won’t have to travel more than 200 feet to a bus stop.
• ADA-compliant fixed-route buses and microtransit vehicles will continue to service those with disabilities at the current level with plans for improvement across the network.
• Even those without a smartphones can use the microtransit service. The new, expanded microtransit system will be available through a hotline, which will be available to those without access to a smart phone.

“We are continuing a robust community outreach and rider education effort to provide information on the changes and how they will benefit all Mobilians into the future,” Liesch said. “We are building a transit system that will work for everyone and we’re excited to be releasing more information on it very soon.”

For Martin, the changes seem to be substantial and comprehensive for a system she has used for many years, even if the council determined, about a year ago, that it was time to move in another direction with a service that is more modern and cost-efficient.

“You got that old saying ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’ The Wave is not broke,” she said.

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