Metro Transit Cuts Dozens Of Routes Due To Driver Shortage
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Dozens of Metro Transit bus trips on weekday routes are suspended indefinitely due a shortage of drivers.
The bus service says it is 90 operators short of what it needs. WCCO-TV looked into the challenges Metro Transit is facing, and how riders will be affected.
Perhaps you have imagined yourself behind the wheel of Metro Transit bus. Now might be the time to get into the driver's seat, as the bus service is actively recruiting.
The job requires a commercial driver's license, so Metro Transit provides paid training to teach you how to drive a bus.
"From day one when you start, you're now starting at $19.45 an hour, from day one, whether you have a commercial driver's license or not, we walk you through the training, make sure that you're ready to go over that five-week period," said Brian Funk, Metro Transit's deputy chief of operations.
With the shortage of drivers, the company is having a hard time covering all of its trips. They have cut about one percent of all weekday trips.
"These trips that aren't operating are suspended indefinitely," Funk said. "What we mean by that is at least for the next two and a half weeks."
Managers say the driver shortage is due to retirements and promotions, but also safety concerns that drivers have expressed after some were attacked by passengers.
"One of the most prominent things we're doing is looking at an operator barrier on the bus," Funk said. "Right now we have more than 20 buses outfitted with this."
He says they plan to add more barriers to more buses. Rider Dorothy Beal takes the bus to work in downtown Minneapolis, and feels bad for Metro Transit.
"I think that's sad. I wish them well. I hope they get more drivers, but they probably need to protect the drivers more," Beal said.
Since starting the recruitment effort this month, Metro Transit has hired 25 new drivers who are in training right now.
Metro Transit says schedules for bus routes to the state fair will be affected. They will start an hour later at 9 a.m. And for the weekday schedules, more changes are expected to come on August 18.
