RTC buses to operate at reduced frequency in Las Vegas
Those who ride the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada bus in the Las Vegas Valley can expect their daily weekday commutes to take a bit longer.
As the RTC deals with an ongoing labor shortage and COVID-19 related issues, the agency announced that, until further notice, it will operate on a Saturday schedule Monday-Friday starting Feb. 22.
The switch to a Saturday schedule for weekdays means the public bus service will run with 12 percent less service.
That will result in some routes like the Sahara Express, which had been running every 15 minutes, to operate every 20 minutes.
“Our goal in transitioning to a Saturday schedule is to provide more predictable and reliable service for our customers,” Francis Julien, RTC deputy CEO said in a statement.
“As we continue to navigate the impacts of ongoing global labor shortages and COVID-19, we recognize that current service delays are negatively impacting many of our riders, and we sincerely apologize for the disruptions,” Julien, said. “By transitioning our system to a Saturday schedule on weekdays, we are able to greatly reduce delayed or missed trips, ensuring that riders who utilize transit services for work, school, medical appointments and more, experience greater reliability.”
The RTC also said it was looking out for the health of its drivers and is in the process of training new drivers. Julien encouraged anyone interested in a career as a bus driver to visit the careers page at rtcsnv.com to view their contractors’ open positions.
The driver shortage and operation impact comes as bus ridership continues to rebound from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
RTC’s non-Strip ridership is at about 65 percent of pre-pandemic levels. In December, RTC provided 3.26 million passenger rides and is continuing to see gradual increases.
“We also ask that riders continue to be patient with their drivers,” Julien said. “These drivers are working long days and covering extra shifts on their days off—all through a pandemic—to connect our community to jobs and essential services.”
Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on Twitter.
