At the Canyons Village Transit Hub Thursday morning, one man said he’d been waiting 40 minutes for a bus. Three outbound buses on different routes had come by, but none inbound. Eventually, the 10 White Express showed up, and people crowded in.
Park City Transit employees say several people called in sick Thursday, but the department was too short-staffed to maintain normal service. The 2 Green, 3 Blue, 5 Yellow, 10 White Express and 50 Teal Express routes all had fewer buses.
Transit Community Outreach and Marketing Coordinator Andy Stevenson said it really is just an issue of staffing and Park City is actively recruiting more bus drivers.
“Park City Transit is experiencing some of the same labor shortages that many transit agencies nationwide are facing, really,” Stevenson said. “And this has led to occasional service reductions and disruptions.”
Parkites and visitors waiting for the bus spoke to various delays ranging from minor to moderate, but skiers in particular don’t seem too worried when service falters.
Skiers John Norris and Christine Perry are visiting from Seattle. They said that free buses can be better options than shuttles operated by local accommodations.
“It's good service,” Norris said. “Actually, we had a shuttle from where we're staying. But it's three o'clock, so this is the alternative.”
Perry said they appreciated the push to electrify the fleet, too. They were waiting for the 50 Teal at the Old Town Transit Center when an employee told them they were better off hopping on the 5 Yellow, the same bus they’d just disembarked.
Another rider, Ciara, says she takes the bus from Liberty Peak Apartments in Kimball Junction to Main Street for work. She said that when wait times are long, it makes for a crowded commute.
“We need more buses. Because maybe, like 20 minutes, 20 minutes, 20 minutes. I see a lot of people,” she said. “We are [bunched] together when we are on the bus.”
But Ciara echoed Norris and Perry when it comes to pricing. The bus remains free, and when it’s running, she says it gets her to and from Kimball Junction quickly.
To get updates on Park City Transit bus service either visit go.parkcity.org or download the myStop app on a smartphone. After selecting Park City as your transit authority, click “Service Alerts” for updates.
People with a Commercial Driver's License can apply to be a Transit Operator online, and Stevenson said the city is offering a $3,000 hiring bonus.
