Around the Country, Cities Face Bus Driver Shortages

Cities like St. Louis, Denver, and Minneapolis have have fewer bus drivers than the transit system requires. The shortages are effecting the quality of service.

2 minute read

September 3, 2019, 11:00 AM PDT

By Casey Brazeal @northandclark


Boston Bus

Gerard Donnelly / Flickr

Around the United States, cities are having trouble hiring the bus drivers they need to keep systems running. Last week, St. Louis's bus service was so understaffed, buses couldn't make trips.   "MetroLink, which runs St. Louis’s 83 bus routes and 46 miles of light rail, blamed an “unusually high number of operators calling off work” that Monday. Transit union leaders said Metro simply hasn’t hired enough workers to run its system," Aaron Short writes.

Whether the issue was the fault of the agency or its drivers, it's clear that not having enough drivers is a problem in many communities. "Thanks to the labor shortage, bus service has been struggling in Denver, San Francisco, Miami, Omaha, Nebraska, Minneapolis, Toledo, OH, and northern New Jersey, drivers and union leaders told Streetsblog," Short writes. There are 188 unfilled positions for bus and rail in Denver alone.

Many who would drive say they can’t afford to live in the cities they drive for because the rent is too high. The Denver bus service and San Francisco's Muni have both dealt with this issue. "With housing out of their price range, a lot of drivers work six to seven days a week and live 90 minutes to two hours away in places like Sacramento, Modesto, Stockton, and Patterson. Some even drive part-time for ride hail companies to supplement their income," Short writes.

Tuesday, August 27, 2019 in Streetsblog USA

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

3 hours ago - Diana Ionescu

Person wearing mask walking through temporary outdoor dining setup lined with bistro lights at dusk in New York City.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?

Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

June 19, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Aerial view of new neifhborhood under construction with enpty lots in foreground.

In California Battle of Housing vs. Environment, Housing Just Won

A new state law significantly limits the power of CEQA, an environmental review law that served as a powerful tool for blocking new development.

4 hours ago - CALmatters

Low-rise Pearl Sreet mall in Boulfer, Colorado.

Boulder Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide

Officials estimate the cost of building a single underground parking space at up to $100,000.

5 hours ago - Boulder Reporting Lab

Two-story buildings with porches in walkable Florida neighborhood.

Orange County, Florida Adopts Largest US “Sprawl Repair” Code

The ‘Orange Code’ seeks to rectify decades of sprawl-inducing, car-oriented development.

6 hours ago - CNU Public Square