CVTD cuts service intervals but not destinations due to driver shortage

CVTD Driver Curt Bybee checks traffic before turning on to Main Street in Logan Wednesday.

LOGAN – Cache Valley Transit District decided to reduce service due to a labor shortage, the transportation company can’t get drivers to fill open positions due to lack of applicants.

A CVTD bus pulls away from the curb at the stop at Smiths Market Place located at 750 N. Main in Logan Thursday. The transportation company is cutting service due to lack of drivers.

On Twitter and social media, CVTD officials posted effective Thursday, May 13 service reductions will go into effect and remain in effect until further notice. “CVTD is mindful of the impact that this will have on people who rely on our service,” their statement said. “We will continue to do all we can to get back up to full service as soon as possible.”

CVTD CEO Todd Beutler said they have five full-time driver positions open and 10 part-time driver positions open. They expect some college student drivers to leave each year due to graduation and other moves.

The transportation company struggled for drivers like this back in 2008 when the stock market crashed.

Beutler wants to encourage patrons to check the CVTD updated website and look at their specific route, or feel free to call dispatch at 752-2877.

“We added the Loop a year ago just before the pandemic hit,” he said. “It’s not that we are not empathetic but other employers in the valley are in the same boat.”

Beutler encourages people who want to make an impact in the community to apply. The starting wage for both part-time and full-time drivers is $15 an hour, the CVTD website cvtdbus.org said.

The company does train the drivers and helps them secure the proper drivers license to operate their busses.

Due to the labor shortage in Utah, Gov. Spencer Cox announced Wednesday the state is discontinuing the federal unemployment programs tied to the pandemic as part of the federal stimulus package. The $300 weekly stimulus payment, as well as the other federal unemployment programs, will end June 26, 2021.

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4 Comments

  • Quinton VanWeerd May 14, 2021 at 2:09 pm Reply

    If they would pay a good wage, they would get drivers.

    • Kay May 15, 2021 at 4:29 pm Reply

      $15.00/hr sounds very fair to drive a bus. You sound like someone who thinks they should get paid to fog a mirror.

  • Shauna May 15, 2021 at 10:17 am Reply

    The wage is fair. It is the fact that they should have more full time drivers and not depend on student labor. The office management and other staff should be able to fill in when things happen like this. They don’t care about the people they are hurting.

  • Juan Hernandez May 16, 2021 at 9:28 pm Reply

    Workers with the required endorsements to drive a bus will always, always get better wages somewhere else other than CVTD.
    I have applied for this position at CVTD back in 2009 and I was turned down. $15 an hour starting hasn’t changed since the mid 2000’s while management’s salaries have kept pace with yearly inflation. It’s time to pay more or let more buses sit idle while the community suffers. CVTD always reminds me of UTA: overpaid and wasteful management.

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