Columbia addresses bus route complaints; no timeframe yet to end combined routes
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
It's been a month since the City of Columbia combined Go COMO bus routes due to a bus driver shortage.
The decision cut the number of bus routes from six to three has resulted in longer wait times and complaints from riders.
“When we started route combining in early August some of our passengers did express frustrations to not only supervisors but directly to the bus operators about route combining,” City Public Works spokesman John Ogan said. “We also heard concerns through the contact center here at the city and by social media channels and we absolutely want to acknowledge they have legitimate concerns.”
Complaints include longer wait times, having to sit in the heat and having to change schedules so they won’t miss work.
“On mornings I have to take the Lyft because of it being weird,” frequent bus rider Nickelous told ABC 17 News while waiting for his bus home from work. “I have a better likelihood of missing the bus and if I do miss it, I’ve got to take the Lyft. So I kind of take that and be like ‘alright I’m just going to take Lyfts so I can get a little bit more sleep.’”
Nickelous said he has to spend an extra $350 a month to pay for Lyft rides to work. With busses, it now takes him longer to get home from work.
“I get off of work at 4 (p.m.) I’m not going to get home until 6, 6:30 maybe depending on how badly the buses are behind,” he said.
The City is aware of the complaints.
“We sincerely apologize to everyone who has been inconvenienced by this change, especially people who are dependent upon the buses to get to their jobs, to go to school or to get to doctors appointments," Ogan said. "Our staff, we completely understand people's frustration and we’d prefer ideally not to have to make this change."
Currently, Go COMO has 22 full-time operators and three part-time operators on their staff. Their goal is to get that total up to 36 operators to eliminate the need for overtime work. In the meantime, Columbia is requiring operators to work four hours per week in overtime, down from the previous 12-hour requirement.
There is no timeframe for when the route combining will end.
“We will bring route combining to an end once that operator shortage has been resolved,” Ogan said.
