The Mountain Rides Transportation Authority over the weekend announced the imminent cancellation of its Twin Falls route and the discontinuation of eight Valley Route bus runs, all of which it attributed to ongoing staff shortages.
The following buses are no longer running:
• The daily southbound 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. runs from Dollar Circle to Bellevue (4:11 p.m. & 8:11 p.m. buses from Wells Fargo in Ketchum).
• The daily northbound 5:05 p.m. and 7 p.m. runs from the Bellevue depot (5:25 p.m. & 7:20 p.m. buses from the Hailey Park & Ride).
• The Friday-only southbound 10 p.m. and midnight runs from Sun Valley to Bellevue (10:11 p.m. and 12:11 a.m. buses from Wells Fargo in Ketchum).
• The Friday northbound 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. runs from Bellevue to Sun Valley (9:20 p.m. and 11:20 p.m. buses from the Hailey Park & Ride).
To accommodate late-night riders, Mountain Rides will offer a final Friday evening run southbound from Dollar Circle to Bellevue at 11:30 p.m., stopping at Wells Fargo in Ketchum at 11:41 p.m.
The last northbound bus from Bellevue to Ketchum on Friday will depart from Clover & Gannett at 10 p.m. and the Park & Ride at 10:20 p.m.
The Saturday evening Valley Route will continue normally, with a final southbound bus departing Dollar Circle at 12 a.m. and Wells Fargo at 12:11 a.m., according to Mountain Rides.
From Sunday through Thursday, the last southbound bus will continue to depart Dollar Circle at 11 p.m. and Wells Fargo at 11:11 p.m.
All cutbacks in Valley Route service will be in place “until further notice,” Mountain Rides stated in a Sunday press release.
“The repercussions of a tight labor market have come to bear on Mountain Rides. Despite diligent recruiting efforts, the organization has been unable to fill its roster of drivers, essential to the provision of service, and, as a result, finds it untenable to maintain its current service levels,” the organization stated.
Twin Falls route relied on local funding
The route was intended for those with medical appointments but open to anyone. It had become particularly popular among young residents without cars who needed to complete errands in Twin Falls, according to staff observations.
“After a comprehensive review, looking for the best opportunities for adjusting service while impacting the fewest possible riders, Mountain Rides concluded that curtailing its non-emergency medical transportation services is its best course of action,” the organization stated.
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(5) comments
It's sad to see this play out. I drove for Mt. Rides years ago, it's a much needed service just in the valley let alone between there and Twin. What's even more troubling is how the culture of the valley is playing out, i.e. the focus on the wealthy instead of the locals. It really needs to change. SV isn't alone. I met a young family this last summer from Jackson Hole, mom a nurse at the hospital and they can't find housing, it's all too expensive. This entire narrative/ideology about ski towns needs to change. Honestly at this point all critical services and those working should just walk away. Literally walk away. Those living in those large homes only care about the ski resort and the summer concerts, they don't give a "you know what" about the locals, and you should treat them the same way. Walk away from their greed and stupidity.
It is disturbing that Mountain Rides cannot recruit enough drivers. The article would have benefited with asking that question rather than just putting up the press release. It is one organization that offers the potential for housing to its work force. One of its units goes to a non-Rides person. They do not advertise for opening on their website. They haven't posted a job opening in this paper for at least the past month. This article left me wondering--what is going on?
Hopefully they are “re” vamping with some drivers Ed !
It should be disturbing that the hospital can’t recruit enough nurses, school district can’t find housing for local teachers and that fire departments can’t find volunteers for paid on call response either.
This is becoming like a Twilight Zone episode, black and white, where the wealthy have no one to service them, life in paradise comes to a stand still. Local government can't even pull off public transportation, fat chance anything else will be solved.
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