(Little Rock, KATV) — Riders of the Rock Region Metro public transit system are expressing concerns over upcoming changes to bus routes, set to take effect at the end of this month.
The changes, which have been in development since the fall, are attributed to staffing shortages, according to Rock Region Metro officials.
Erica Henderson, a daily bus rider, said, “These changes affected us, and we ride the bus every day.”
Henderson and other riders are worried about potential issues such as extended wait times.
Becca Green, Chief Planning and Communications Officer for Rock Region Metro, explained the necessity of the changes, noting that the transit system has lost more than 18% of its fixed route operation staff over the past six months.
“When you don’t have enough fixed route bus drivers, we’re already having to cut the service, sometimes on a daily basis. It’s painful for everyone, including our staff. But the good part of this plan is that the silver lining of it is that it hopefully stabilizes the service,” Green said.
These changes however are mainly set to impact a handful of the weekend routes and one during the week, with the transit system will now prioritize high ridership routes, weekday service, and coordinated transfer times.
“For example, on weekdays, we’re going to go from having three pulses to 25 so that’s a lot more opportunity for people to be able to catch a pulse when more busses are coming in at the same time and make a transfer so there’s less downtime and waiting between busses. So hopefully that does help improve people’s daily commutes, but we do definitely understand that if your commute is with a particular route that’s getting a service reduction on the weekends, then it’s not going to be. Be ideal for you.”
Henderson expressed concerns for vulnerable riders with concerns for increased wait times on those select routes, saying, “The elderly, that’s my concern, because if this goes through, you got to sit down the heat much longer. You got to see that cold much longer. And it’s just, it’s just not right. I think they can do something else.”
Riders like Henderson are calling for a pause on the changes to allow the public time to contact local officials and legislators, stating that riders weren’t given enough notice to try to enact real change before this goes into effect.
“This. Need to be something starting next year and continue to work with it so more people will find out and understand,” Henderson said.
Rock Region Metro has stated that they will continue to communicate changes through their website, public information meetings, emails, social media, their app, and cards on buses for riders to review.
They also aim to continue hiring new drivers.
A board meeting to approve or deny the plan is scheduled for June 17.
If approved, the changes will take effect on Monday, June 30. Rock Region Metro services Little Rock, North Little Rock, and other central parts of Pulaski County.
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