Forty bus routes are losing trips because the Twin Cities have been unable to recruit and retain sufficient drivers to run the system.
The Metro Transit driver shortage is causing massive cancelations in the city. The service is cutting 67 trips a day from 40 routes, because there aren't enough drivers to complete the trips. "The transit agency says it is short about 90 drivers, despite a recent push to recruit new operators across the Twin Cities," Tim Nelson reports for Minnesota Public Radio.
Many transit services have had issues hiring enough drivers, and Metro Transit has had issues here already. This service cut marks an escalation of the problem. "The agency says it is working aggressively to hire more drivers, but that competition for people who have a commercial driver's license, including truck and school bus drivers, is stiff," Nelson writes.
Representatives from the agency say the position pays well ($20 per hour to start) has a good benefits package. Evidently that package hasn't been enough to attract more drivers.
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