Temporary bus delays felt by transit riders in Calgary
Bus schedules adjusted to help with Omicron-caused staffing issues
Calgary Transit has reduced service to account for 100 employees home sick with COVID-19.
Absenteeism has increased at a rate of 10 per cent every week during this Omicron-lead pandemic wave. Around 100 bus route schedules have been adjusted, according to Calgary Transit information lead Stephen Tauro.
"Those minor changes hopefully lead to minimal impacts for the customer. Some customers will experience longer wait times, for sure," Tauro said.
Transit is watching the staffing gaps closely and adjusting to daily fluctuations in available drivers.
Thankfully, Tauro said, ridership is still sitting at 30 per cent of pre-pandemic demand, while service levels are running at around 75 per cent of pre-pandemic levels — leaving wiggle room for plans to shift and change over the coming weeks.
"As with everything COVID, we've been watching it very closely," Tauro said. "We're watching ridership daily and tracking all of that just to make sure that the service … meets the customers' needs, but also is responsible from our side in terms of, you know, not having too much service out there where we're running empty buses."
The best way for riders to track the schedule, and ensure a smooth commute, is by checking Calgary Transit's webpage, or calling 403-262-1000.
Transit delays felt by some, not by others
Rider Brian Blake says he always keeps an eye on transit schedules because he works on the night shift.
"I keep a good schedule on all the buses I take going where I have to go, and right now they've all been pretty well on time," he said.
Taking transit to and from job interviews has taken a little longer for Kim Anderson, who said she has noticed delays in service.
"It does affect my day because I am looking for work, so now getting around takes me longer to get to interviews," she said.
The Amalgamated Transit Union is worried these staffing shortages could lead to crowded buses.
On Sunday, union president Mike Mahar said that between layoffs and attrition, he guesses Calgary Transit lost 350 operators over the past two years.