Possible bus service cuts: Bloomington Transit board sets public hearing

Bloomington Transit’s board voted 5–0 Wednesday (Nov. 4) at a special meeting to get public input on temporary service reductions affecting four bus routes. The agency is struggling with a driver shortage that has left some drivers working more than 65 hours a week.

The vote came after board member Zach Ammerman objected to wording in the resolution that would have “in concept” already approved the reductions. Instead, the board unanimously amended the resolution to say it was getting public input through a public hearing.

A vote on the cuts is expected Nov. 17 after a public hearing that has been set for 4:30 p.m. at the downtown transit center.

The proposed changes would eliminate about 237 driver hours a week, beginning Dec. 6 and continuing through May 2027.

The driver shortage has resulted in several missed runs, despite the overtime that has been put in.

About the impact on service, board member Doug Horn said: “We’ve got a real problem. You know, we’re becoming known to be an agency that is not reliable to our client base. And I mean, it’s shocking to me as a board member. I’m grateful that we’re learning about it. Thank you for bringing it forward. But this is not a new event.”

The affected routes are:

• Routes 2 West and 2 South: Combine weekday operations into a single route, reducing service on each from every 30 minutes to hourly. Route 2 West would depart downtown at 10 minutes past the hour, followed by Route 2 South at 40 minutes past. Weekend service would remain unchanged.
• Route 7: Eliminate weekday departures from downtown at 40 minutes past the hour, leaving hourly departures at 10 minutes past. Weekend service would remain unchanged.
• Route 11: Eliminate Saturday and Sunday service. Weekday service would continue. Atlas apartment residents could still access Route 2 West on 17th Street.
• Route 16: Reduce the number of buses operating Monday through Saturday from three to two, producing alternating 30-minute and 60-minute service intervals. Sunday service would remain unchanged.

At Wednesday’s special meeting, board chair James McLary said that BT recorded 1,100 overtime hours during its most recent two-week pay period, compared with a more typical 300 to 500 hours. New BT general manager Nick Standefer said mandatory overtime has been in effect since August. That pre-dates his tenure at BT. He said the staffing shortage has already caused unpredictable service cancellations.

Responding to a question from Ammerman, human resources director Brenda Underwood said the 1,100 overtime hours reflected about 11% of the total driver hours.

The reductions would not completely eliminate overtime, but Standefer expects they would reduce the need to require drivers to work extra shifts. The estimated net savings are roughly $27,000 per two-week pay period, after accounting for reduced payments from agencies that help fund the affected routes.

Ammerman expressed concern about reducing service on Routes 2 and 7, pointing specifically to lower-income areas served by Route 7, where residents might depend more heavily on public transportation. He also questioned whether low starting wages have contributed to the agency’s driver shortage. Ammerman cited federal labor statistics that he said put Bloomington Transit’s starting pay below the 10th percentile for Indiana bus operators.

BT planning manager Shelley Strimaitis told Ammerman that Routes 2 and 7 are among the higher-ridership downtown routes. But she said they were targeted because they operate more frequently than once an hour. Other routes already run just hourly, which she described as the board’s minimum service standard. Cutting those routes instead would mean eliminating service altogether or potentially leaving passengers with two-hour waits.

The proposed service cuts come amid a change in Bloomington Transit’s management, as well as membership on its five-member board. On Oct. 1, Keolis replaced RATP Dev as the agency’s management company, Keolis tapped Nick Standefer to succeed John Connell as general manager. The board approved the Keolis contract on a 3–2 vote Sept. 15, prompting the departure of Kent McDaniel, who had served on the board for 36 years.

The following day, Bloomington’s city council appointed Zach Ammerman to the seat. Ammerman is a regular transit rider with a background in data analysis and mapping.

Standefer described the proposed reductions as a temporary measure while the agency prepares a comprehensive review of its routes and schedules, with longer-term recommendations expected next spring.

The public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 17, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., at the downtown Transit Center. That’s a change from the Grimes Lane headquarters location that was listed in BT’s original notice. The board’s regular meeting is expected to follow the hearing, at the same location.

Strimaitis said the 30-day public comment period would run from Nov. 5 through Dec. 5, even though the board expects to consider final approval after the Nov. 17 hearing.