Intercity Transit expects to offer reduced level of service due to shortage of bus drivers
The number of bus drivers has fallen so dramatically for Intercity Transit during the pandemic shutdown that once service resumes, IT expects to operate at a fraction of pre-COVID-19 levels.
That was the message delivered Wednesday to the IT Authority, its governing board, by general manager Ann Freeman-Manzanares.
She said one of the organization’s fundamental challenges has been the number of operators at its disposal, which has dropped to 115 from 258 during the pandemic.
Some drivers aren’t working because they fall into a category that makes them more vulnerable to the coronavirus, either because of their age or an underlying health condition, she said. Some have vulnerable family members at home, or are caring for a child, and some have either retired or have retired early because of the virus.
The other challenge: IT is not hiring or training new operators because of the pandemic, Freeman-Manzanares said.
The result is that once a combination of fixed route, Dial-a-Lift and advance reservation system resumes, which could be at the end of June, service levels will operate at about 30 percent of IT’s previous level, she said.
She said she’s not sure how long the agency would operate at that level, largely because she’s unsure about the workforce through the end of the year and into next year.
Once service resumes, riders can expect to see drivers wearing masks and sitting behind plexiglass shields. Those who ride the bus also will be encouraged to wear masks, she said, plus IT plans to distribute some personal protection equipment to riders.
Other items from Wednesday’s IT Authority meeting:
▪ The reservation-only service that is operating now has completed 18,000 trips and has the capacity to do more.
▪ The state is dealing with unemployment fraud and so is IT. Freeman-Manzanares said they are dealing with 21 fraudulent jobless claims.
▪ Thurston County Commissioner Tye Menser, one of five elected officials who serve on the Authority, asked about the Olympia Transit Center, which was closed and fenced off last month after some people were shot at while trying to replace a broken window, The Olympian reported.
Since the fence was put up, Freeman-Manzanares said there haven’t been major incidents, but one person did jump over the fence and steal a radio. The transit center island was cleaned with a power washer, she said.
This story was originally published May 21, 2020 at 5:45 AM.
