The shortage of bus drivers is forcing GoRaleigh to cut back on service.

The transit system currently operates about 1,000 trips a day and hauls about 350,000 riders every month. But lately, there have been more missed trips with the riders stranded at the bus stop.

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"It's ridiculous. It's truly ridiculous," said rider Andre Tyson.

Cutting back service is a big blow to GoRaleigh, which has expansion plans in the works.

They want more people riding the bus. But right now, they can’t even keep up with the routes they already have.

"A lot of the time, you want to be angry with the bus driver, but you can't be angry with the bus driver because you know they are short-staffed because my job is also incredibly short staffed," said Tyson.

Many GoRaleigh riders say the experience has gotten worse this summer.

"Getting on the bus is kind of stressful," said Sam Packett, who rides daily. "I've been waiting for a bus every morning and it's like two hours late, and they are like, 'There are no bus drivers.'"

Tyson said the the long waits and missed trips have him wasting hours at the bus terminal.

“It’s been so unreliable and I have been so late to work. I can’t keep doing this, so I have to plan to be at work so early just to make sure I don’t get fired because of the buses," he said.

Currently, GoRaleigh is short 30 drivers and missing 150 to 200 trips a week.

"That’s the really bad part about the situation that we are in — we don’t know until you don’t show up ... so we don’t have the time needed to get the messaging out there," said David Walker, a GoRaleigh transportation supervisor.

Starting Sept. 11, GoRaleigh will reduce service on 11 routes from every half hour to every hour:

  • Routes reduced to hourly frequency are: 3, 7L, 10, 12, 18/18S, 23L, 24L, 26, 27, 36, 40X
    • Routes reduced to 30 minute frequency are: 19

      "We understand that it is critical for people to get to work, to get to their doctor's appointment and things, and that's why we decided it's time to step back a little bit," said Walker.

      GoRaleigh’s 14% vacancy rate is still lower than GoDurham’s 19% and GoTriangle’s 42%. They, too, have reduced service.

      “It goes against every principle that we have in trying to get people to come out and ride the bus," said Walker. "We are not reducing routes. We are reducing frequency."

      Walker said reducing the frequency will increase reliability.

      "We won't be missing those trip anymore," he said.

      That’s welcome news to Joseph Peoples who’s lost trust in the bus system.

      "It is never arriving when I need it to," said Peoples.

      Peoples said he switched from the bus to Uber and Lyft, which cuts into savings from his part-time job

      “I’ve got rent to pay. I have bills to pay," said Peoples.

      "It is never arriving when I need it to," said Peoples.

      Peoples said he switched from the bus – which is free -- to Uber and Lyft, which cuts into savings from his part-time job.

      “I’ve got rent to pay. I have bills to pay," said Peoples.

      In July, GoRaleigh increased starting pay for bus drivers to $19 an hour. Only GoCary pays more than that — at $21 an hour — and they are fully staffed. GoRaleigh is hoping the increases help - and they hope to resume normal service by January.

      GoRaleigh just increased starting driver pay to $19 an hour. Only GoCary pays more than that — at $21 an hour — and they are fully staffed. GoRaleigh is hoping the increases help - and they hope to resume normal service by January. I’m Joe Fisher, WRAL News, Raleigh.