Albuquerque city councilors are considering reducing bus services to help deal with worker shortages, a proposal that concerns some bus riders.
“I don’t know what stops they’re proposing to get rid of,” Mike, a frequent bus rider told KRQE. “But if they go too far, it’s hard to get around on just a wheelchair.”
According to the city, a third of the bus driver positions are currently vacant. City officials said the staffing shortages have put a strain on the drivers currently employed. Efforts to recruit more drivers like an increase in pay have not generated enough applicants. That has forced the city to contemplate reducing 30 routes with 16 to be suspended entirely, according to KRQE. Some routes were chosen based on low ridership and whether other routes cover the same area.
Some riders are concerned about the proposals. “My car was stolen,” bus rider Shaun Koning told KRQE. “I’m a student teacher at Albuquerque High School which means that it would be very difficult for me to get to work and to get to take classes at UNM. I would be in trouble. I would not be able to get to work or school from the west side.”
Some routes would operate less frequently. For instance, Bus Route 2 on Eubank would run every hour instead of every 30 minutes. Other routes, like Route 222, which serves Kirtland Air Force Base, would travel a shorter route at certain times of the day.
The Transit Department said, according to KRQE, the proposal would also save money on fuel and maintenance.