Beginning yesterday, Metrobus has brought into effect service reductions for five of its routes, which was first announced in a press release earlier this month.
In that press release, it was stated that routes 9, 11, and 23 will only run at 60-minute frequency on weekdays. Additionally, routes 14 and 18 will only run 30-minute frequency during peak hours in the morning and afternoon. Weekend services are, as of now, remaining unchanged.
It was also stated that issues such as recruitment challenges for roles such as Transit Operators and Mechanics, as well as staff shortages in the Maintenance department were causes behind these reductions. This comes after the City of St. John’s green lit additional service to routes 9, 11, 18, and 23 last month.
“Recruitment is a top priority for us, and we hope that the changes will only be temporary,” said a representative of Metrobus in response to an inquiry from The Muse.
MUNSU issued a statement in response to these reductions on Monday. They said that these reductions will have a negative impact on the student body, making life harder for students who rely on public transit, as well as faculty and other members of the community.
“Longer wait times and less frequent buses may result in students arriving late to classes, missing lectures, or struggling to get to exams and labs on time,” said MUNSU in their statement. “These changes will also affect students who commute long distances, work part-time jobs, or have family and childcare responsibilities.”
In addition to discussing the impact on the campus community, MUNSU also expressed support for ATU Local 1462, the union for St. John’s transit workers, and their campaign advocating for transit workers and reliable public transit. They also attached a link to a petition in support of “reliable and accessible public transit for our campus and community.”