Driver Shortages and Service Reductions: The Crisis in Public Transit Continues

While transit systems around the country had reason to celebrate the new funding made available in the federal infrastructure bill, long-term concerns about operational capacity have not been resolved.

2 minute read

November 18, 2021, 7:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Rescue Bus

Tony Webster / Flickr

"[The Detroit Department of Transportation] is making changes to routes across the city this week in an effort to improve service and reduce bus stop wait times," reports Eric D. Lawrence for Detroit Free Press.

C. Mikel Oglesby, Detroit's executive director of transit, is quoted in the article saying that the new schedules more accurately reflect the service currently provided, as the system "grapples with low ridership and a bus driver shortage." To minimize the inconvenience to riders, DDOT is targeting service reductions on low-ridership routes.

" [Oglesby] said DDOT is short about 90 drivers and ridership is down about 50%, from about 70,000 per day to 30,000-35,000 per day," reports Lawrence.

Bus driver shortages pre-date the pandemic—cities like St. Louis, Denver, and Minneapolis made news for cutting trips due to driver shortages in 2019, for example—but the problem has been perpetuated by the pandemic. MARTA also recently cut bus service in the Atlanta region, also citing bus driver shortages as the reason for the cutbacks.

In some respects, public transit seems to be prospering through the pandemic: Stimulus funding prevented the existential crises of Spring 2020, record amounts of new funding has been made available by the recently approved Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and a growing number of transit systems lowering or eliminating fares.

Despite those reasons for optimism, transit systems are still hanging by a thread (as reported on this site earlier in 2021): Ridership has been slow to return to most U.S. transit systems, the aforementioned driver shortages persist, and the IIJA also provided a record amount of funding for automobile infrastructure.

Most significantly to the future of public transit systems like the DDOT's, the structural deficit of transit funding for public transit operations in this country has not been resolved.

Wednesday, November 17, 2021 in Detroit Free Press

Sweeping view of Portland, Oregon with Mt. Hood in background against sunset sky.

Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary

Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.

March 12, 2024 - Housing Wire

Aerial view of green roofs with plants in Sydney, Australia.

Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024

A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.

March 10, 2024 - Daily Journal of Commerce

Cobblestone street with streetcar line, row of vintage streetlights on left, and colorful restaurant and shop awnings on right on River Street in Savannah, Georgia.

Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts

From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.

March 12, 2024 - Strong Towns

Aerial View of Chuckanut Drive and the Blanchard Bridge in the Skagit Valley.

Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding

The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.

March 18 - The Seattle Times

Historic buildings in downtown Los Angeles with large "Pan American Lofts" sign on side of building.

Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly

The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.

March 18 - Beverly Press

View from above of swan-shaped paddleboats with lights on around artesian fountain in Echo Park Lake with downtown Los Angeles skylien in background at twilight.

LA's Top Parks, Ranked

TimeOut just released its list of the top 26 parks in the L.A. area, which is home to some of the best green spaces around.

March 18 - TimeOut

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.