IDOT freezes CRIS Rural Mass Transit over financial practices

(WAND) - CRIS Rural Mass Transit had to stop operating because the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) froze its funding.

CRIS Rural Mass Transit announced that its ride service in Vermilion, Ford, and Iroquois counties had ended effective Jan. 2.

CRIS RMT said that IDOT froze its funds, meaning it cannot continue to operate.

WAND News learned that the freeze came after several warnings from IDOT about bad financial practices.

IDOT explained in a letter in December regarding requests made by the district without proper documentation, and highlighted an August request that they said was submitted three separate times by late November.

This included four invoices that could not be reimbursed because of the date they were filed.

After CRIS was made aware of the issue, IDOT stated that the district resubmitted the same invoices with different dates.

The letter also explained that CRIS must take action, including an independent financial audit, or it could face suspension or termination.

IDOT sent the following response to WAND:

"The Illinois Department of Transportation is committed to providing safe, reliable transit for all communities in Illinois while remaining responsible stewards of the public’s funds. For more than a year, we have been working with the district and local officials, including attending board meetings and meeting in person, to address several outstanding, serious matters and keep service running in Vermilion, Ford and Iroquois counties. We have been very clear at all times about what steps have been needed to make sure federal and state regulations were followed. Going forward, all options are being explored to ensure that this important service continues with minimal interruption."

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