Syracuse, N.Y. -- Centro is reducing much of its service in the Syracuse area starting Sept. 13, switching weekday schedules to “enhanced Saturday” schedules, the transit authority announced today.
The reason is a shortage of bus drivers, according to a news release issued this afternoon.
“We need to hire between 35-40 drivers as soon as possible,” Centro spokesman Steven Koegel said in a statement released this afternoon.
The changes are temporary, Koegel said. The bus services for Syracuse city school students will not be reduced, though some connections may change.
The specifics about the route changes will be released within the next couple of days, Koegel said in a interview with syracuse.com | The Post-Standard.
For now, riders can look at the Saturday schedules to get an idea of what the changes look like. Additionally, Centro will be adding more routes for suburban commuters to help them get to work earlier in the day, he said.
The bus authority is also scaling back its services for Syracuse University students. Starting Sept. 13, there will be no Centro service on SU’s campus past 8 p.m., Koegel said.
The changes also come as some ridership lost during the Covid-19 pandemic was returning to the system, according to minutes from Centro’s board meeting in July.
As of July, ridership remained less than half of what it was before the pandemic. Yet ridership was up at the beginning of the summer by 27% when compared with the same time in 2020.
At the same time, the transit service’s financial footing is recovering even as it tries to negotiate a new contract with its drivers and mechanics.
Already, the union -- Amalgamated Transit union workers of Central New York, Syracuse, Cayuga, and Oswego Local 580 -- voted down two contracts, according to president Frank Saya. Both sides go back to the negotiating table next week, he said.
Saya said the drivers are pushing for better hours and better pay. Currently, some have to work split shifts, which mean they are working two shifts across 13 hours a day rather than eight straight hours, he said.
“That’s something we’re working on in the contract, to shorten the shifts,” he said. “I think if Centro boosts up the wages and keeps good on their health benefits they might be able to get some people through the door.”
Just last month, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer visited Centro to announce an extra $74 million in Covid relief money for the bus authority over the next five years. Schumer called it the largest-single federal investment in the bus system, Schumer said.
Yet that money hasn’t helped put more drivers behind Centro’s wheels. In recent weeks, the transit system has struggled to offer full service, especially as school restarts and demand rises. That meant on a few routes, some buses never showed at the scheduled time, Koegel said.
“We’d rather provide a schedule that we can meet,” Koegel said, rather than one that is inconsistent, he added.
It takes a minimum of six weeks to train a new driver, Koegel said. Bus drivers and mechanics at Centro can earn $50,000 a year, with 401-K retirement options and paid training opportunities.
Qualified applicants need a high school diploma or an equivalent to a diploma and a clean driving record for five years. Find out more at Centro’s website.
Centro officials are working to ensure that no current drivers lose hours because of the reduction in service. “The goal is to make everybody whole,” he said.
The changes do not affect current Saturday and Sunday routes, Call-A-Bus service or weekly shopper bus services. Bus services that connect Oswego and Auburn to Syracuse will also not be affected.
The changes also will not affect service at Syracuse’s football home opener this weekend. But the waits for Centro buses to and from the Carrier Dome might be longer, Koegel said.
Riders with questions should call Centro at 315-442-3400.
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