MTD will be making additional service adjustments due to staffing shortages beginning in January 2022. The organization recently indicated that the Omicron variant has further complicated its daily scheduling capabilities.
The best way to confirm current bus schedules and route times is through the updated digital schedules on mtd.org. For specific, university-related inquiries, contact Transportation Demand Management Coordinator Stacey DeLorenzo sdeloren@illinois.edu, 217-300-1750.
An Open Letter to Our Passengers: We’re Sorry
Dear Passengers,
You deserve an apology. We know we have not been meeting your expectations in recent weeks as we’ve made daily cuts to service. Staff shortages are a major challenge for many industries right now, including public transit. From childcare concerns to retirements, our Operator pool has been dwindling and we need more people to maintain planned service frequencies.
With daily fluctuations in staffing, we’ve been forced to make service reductions on a day-to-day basis. Reroute alerts have gone out through our website, personalized alert system, and social media channels. We know this does not always allow passengers enough time to make alternative arrangements.
To provide more consistent service, beginning October 4, we’re applying some of the recent cuts until further notice. This was a difficult but necessary decision, and we hope to return to our regular service soon. We are, and have been, actively training more people, but it takes time, around eight weeks per class, because safety is our top priority. We also must utilize existing Operators as experienced instructors, which further draws on resources. To recruit quality talent, we increased the starting wages of our new Operators. Along with a competitive benefits package, MTD has some of the top paid bus Operators in the country - and they absolutely deserve it. Those who join our team are committed to providing a public service that is essential to mobility and opportunity.
The shortage has put undue strain on our frontline, with many hardworking Operators logging overtime to help fill the gaps; some of our qualified administrative staff have also been driving buses to keep more service on the street. Through all of this, MTD is still unable to provide our full scheduled service. We share in your disappointment and want to assure you that our schedulers have diligently reassigned available work hours to preserve service coverage.
We will continue working to overcome the shortage. In the meantime, we ask that passengers please use the updated digital schedules to plan a trip on mtd.org, which has reliable real-time data. Also, you can sign up for personalized alerts at mtd.org/account. Updates will be posted to social media (@rideMTD) or you may call 217.384.8188 to speak with a real person for help.
Thank you for your patience, understanding, and continued ridership.
Our sincerest apologies,
Team MTD