CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Labor shortages are impacting industries across the country including public transportation. As Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) works to fill more than 100 bus driver vacancies, the agency also continues to deal with another challenge: unplanned absences.
Callouts are a concern for CATS; according to the agency from February 1st to April 17, callouts ranged from 50 to 101 on a given day. All this happens while it is trying to get more folks behind the wheel.
Charlotte City Councilman Ed Driggs is the Transportation, Planning, and Development Committee chairman. He is also heading up a new group to address issues with the system.
“We had a tough time during COVID because of a lot of absenteeism and of course, difficulties filling all the positions," he said. "But it is still difficult locally and nationally."
As of April 8 of 2023, CATS has 447 bus operators and 115 openings. The agency said there are active and ongoing efforts to recruit new bus drivers.
Following several incidents of violence against bus drivers, Driggs said addressing safety is a big part of attracting new hires.
“There is a substantial allocation in our current budget to address bus driver safety and programs to improve security on the trains," he said.
Regarding callouts, Driggs said buses are generally running on schedule during the week but the weekends not so much.
PREVIOUSLY: Mayor Lyles promises progress at CATS
Earlier this month, bus drivers received a letter from RATP Dev, the company that manages the bus drivers. The letter said the company is extremely disturbed by the absences and missed trips, especially following a newly-signed labor agreement RAPT Dev says makes Charlotte bus drivers the second-highest paid on the East Coast.
A bus driver who did not want to go on camera said the letter is inaccurate and trips are being missed to fill shortages including for the rail line.
Moreover, on April 1st, NCDOT directed CATS to keep the rail operating control center properly staffed or stop operations after a surprise inspection. Mandatory overtime is being implemented to meet the need.
“We’re considering the possibility of modifying the current schedule, to eliminate certain hours during which there is almost no ridership to alleviate the problem with the controllers," Driggs said.
Driggs said they are committed to addressing serious issues with CATS – adding as RATP DEV’s contract is set to expire next February, the city will look at other managing partners.
“We have at the moment an RFP out, which is an invitation for others to bid on the contract when this one expires and that has tougher terms in terms of making them responsible for the success of the organization,” he said. “We could end up working with the same company or we could end up working with a new company but the terms of the invitation to bid are tougher as far as the performance requirement for the management company is concerned.”
Contact Jesse Pierre at jpierrepet@wcnc.com or follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.