PRESS RELEASE: Democratic City Council Candidates Release Results from Public Transit Listening Session
Listening session highlights public transit’s role in economic opportunity, workforce access, health care, downtown activity, and quality of life.
LYNCHBURG, Va. — Lynchburg Better Together City Council candidates Christina Delzingaro, Dave Henderson, and Nat Marshall have released a new summary of feedback gathered during a July 14 listening session with leaders from the Greater Lynchburg Transit Company.
The document, “What We Heard From Public Transit Leaders,” reflects a clear message: public transit is essential city infrastructure. Reliable transit connects residents to jobs, schools, health care, shopping, housing, and community life while supporting employers, downtown activity, public events, and economic development.
“Public transit affects the entire city, not only the people riding the bus on a given day,” said Christina Delzingaro. “A reliable, accessible transit system helps residents get to work and appointments, supports local businesses, reduces parking pressure, and strengthens connections among our neighborhoods.”
The listening session identified four major priorities.
Public transit is essential city infrastructure. GLTC has served Lynchburg for more than a century and continues to connect residents with employment, education, health care, shopping, and community services. Participants emphasized that transit planning should be connected to the city’s broader goals for housing, workforce participation, public health, downtown vitality, and economic development.
GLTC needs a stronger long-term partnership with City Council. Transit leaders described a complex funding model built around local support and state and federal reimbursements. Reimbursement delays create cash-flow challenges, while the city’s requirement that GLTC return unspent local dollars makes it difficult to build reserves or plan for major investments. Participants said City Council could reconsider that local requirement as part of a responsible long-term funding strategy.
“GLTC cannot plan confidently for the future when it has limited ability to build reserves or absorb unexpected costs,” said Dave Henderson. “City Council should have a regular working relationship with GLTC and take a serious look at the local policies that contribute to those financial constraints.”
Lynchburg needs the right mix of fixed-route service, microtransit, and fare policy. Fixed-route buses remain the backbone of the system, particularly along high-demand corridors. Microtransit services such as GLTC Flex can help fill gaps in areas where traditional routes are less effective. GLTC leaders also discussed their longstanding interest in zero-fare transit, while noting that lost fare revenue would need to be replaced with a dependable funding source. Any transition should protect service reliability, frequency, and paratransit capacity.
Reliable transit depends on skilled workers and broad public support. GLTC faces challenges recruiting and retaining trained operators amid rising labor and benefit costs. Participants also emphasized that thriving cities have transit systems used by residents across income levels because they are convenient, reliable, and accessible.
“Lynchburg needs a long-term transit vision rather than a series of short-term fixes,” said Nat Marshall. “That means supporting drivers, strengthening core routes, using microtransit strategically, and making funding decisions that allow GLTC to plan ahead.”
The candidates said the release is part of their broader commitment to listening directly to residents, workers, educators, business owners, service providers, and community leaders as they develop a practical agenda for Lynchburg’s future.
“Transit connects people to opportunity,” Delzingaro said. “When City Council treats it as essential infrastructure, we strengthen access to jobs, education, health care, and community life across Lynchburg.”
The full “What We Heard From Public Transit Leaders” summary is available at: https://www.lynchburgbettertogether.org/what-weve-heard/publictransit
About Lynchburg Better Together
Lynchburg Better Together is supporting Christina Delzingaro, Dave Henderson, and Nat Marshall for Lynchburg City Council. The campaign is focused on practical, community-centered leadership that strengthens neighborhoods, supports families, invests in public services, and builds a better future for all of Lynchburg.