DENVER (KDVR) – The Regional Transportation District is short-staffed, which means more cancellations and delays.
On Tuesday, RTD canceled 32 A Line trips due to limited staff. A federal mandate requires at least two crew members on board A Line trains. RTD, through its contractor Allied Universal, could not meet that requirement, the agency said. The A Line connects downtown Denver at Union Station to Denver International Airport. Usually, A Line trains run every 15 minutes. On Tuesday, trains were running roughly every 30 minutes.
Passengers at RTD’s Central Park station told FOX31 the issues extend well beyond the A Line.
“It’s definitely different now,” one woman said, describing transit service as a guessing game.
“I told my boyfriend, it’s kind of like playing the lottery,” a daily commuter named Shay, told FOX31. “If you catch it, you catch it. If you don’t, you don’t. You have to sit and wait. At least one day out of my week, this train messes me up– the A train … I have a friend [who] catches the N train. Same thing with him.”
Predictability has been difficult to achieve, riders said. It is leaving them frustrated.
RTD said it needs bus and rail operators as it prepares to usher in more service. Currently, systemwide– from bus and light rail operators to repair and maintenance technicians– RTD is facing vacancy rates from 12% to nearly 30%.
Bus Operators: Budgeted: 952, Current: 765, Vacancies: 187
General Repair Technicians: Budgeted: 151, Current: 108, Vacancies: 43
Light Rail Operators: Budgeted: 190, Current: 168, Vacancies: 22
Vehicle Maintenance: Budgeted: 79, Current: 63, Vacancies: 16
Commuter Rail Operators (N Line only): Budgeted: 28, Current: 20, Vacancies: 10
Staffing issues aside, riders say RTD could be more accurate on train ETAs. Signs providing ETAs at train stops can’t be fully relied upon, riders told FOX31 on Tuesday.
RTD said new frontline workers will get a $4,000 hiring bonus. Also, starting wages for operators jumped to $24 per hour last week.