WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — The Winston-Salem Transit Authority is still faced with an operator shortage that was originally announced back in September last year.
Transit authority officials said service on Route 100 has been suspended Sunday.
Officials said back in September they were searching for people to fill vacancies and suspended night service for 14 routes.
“We continue to seek candidates to fill the open positions we have for operators; which is our greatest need,” WSTA general manager Donna Woodson said in September last year.
WSTA isn't the only area service facing driver shortages.
Guilford County Schools is in the same boat and is working with Greensboro Transit Agency to help students get to school.
GTA said they don't know when this partnership will end, but they take it one week at a time. They said it's up to GCS whether they continue this or not but a contract was signed with the school system and goes until the end of the school year to offer help with transportation if need be.
GTA's Kevin Elwood said the partnership has been going very well since it started on January 10th.
Elwood said since then, there have been 1266 trips taken by GCS students.
At the beginning of the partnership, students made up about three percent of all the people riding city buses. Now that's doubled to more than 6 percent.
Elwood said GTA is getting mostly positive feedback as well.
"We've heard nothing but praise, for the most part, we believe that some have had some reservations because of their perception of safety but we have had not one safety incident on the buses and we feel like parents are now starting to see that riding the bus is just as safe as going anywhere in society," Elwood said.
GTA said they are also making sure they don't experience a driver shortage of their own by making sure they emphasize the safety of their operators. Elwood said there are policies in place to ensure this. Policies such as enforcing masks on the buses, providing a protective barrier around drivers as well as masks and hand sanitizer when they need it.
Stay connected to local, national, and breaking news: Download the WFMY News 2 app.
►Text the word APP to 336-379-5775