COVID-19 labor shortages prompt Butler County RTA to suspend some routes

The Butler County Regional Transit Authority has announced it will suspend two routes and modify another beginning Feb. 7 due to severe driver shortages brought on by the pandemic.

The BCRTA board accepted the staff’s recommendation to suspend the routes last week after agreeing that the suspension was the best way to preserve quality of remaining services and retain existing staff. The R-2 route runs between Oxford and Middletown, the R-4 bus goes from Hamilton to Tri County and they are amending the R-6 route that virtually mirrors the R-4 route.

The R2 and R4 route were selected because they have not seen a rebound in ridership compared to the other regional routes.

ExploreButler County RTA needs drivers, or some routes might be suspended

“The R2 is currently averaging less than one rider per hour, and since the R4 and R6 run similar routes, we are modifying the R6 route to include the R4′s most popular stops,” Matthew Dutkevicz, BCRTA’s Executive Director said. “We are doing our best to decrease the impact that these cuts will have on our riders.”

Riders who are impacted by the changes can reach out to customer service or Shawn Cowan, BCRTA’s Mobility Manager, for assistance in finding alternate routes or other potential means of transportation. Contact information can be found on BCRTA’s website at www.butlercountyrta.com.

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About the Author

Denise G. Callahan

Denise has been reporter with Cox since 2006. She covers Butler County government including all elected office holders, departments and independent boards; Ross and West Chester townships. She strives to deliver the most impactful, comprehensive and crucial information about all aspects of local government to her readers every day.