LOUISVILLE, Ky. — As omicron continues to spread across Kentuckiana, local businesses and government agencies are feeling the variant's impact.
The Transit Authority of the River City (TARC) told WHAS11 News it was experiencing staff shortages as a result of the highly transmissible disease.
11% of TARC's staff is out due to COVID-related absences, a spokesperson said.
"The numbers are very fluid, of course," Jenny Recktenwald, TARC's director of marketing and communications, said. "We are making up the shortage as best as possible through overtime hours and juggling off days."
In early January, TARC3, the department's paratransit service, released a statement advising travelers to only use the transit service for "essential trips" due to the current staffing shortage.
Recktenwald said while there's not an accurate figure on absences for TARC3 since it's operated through a contractor, "missed trips since Jan. 1 have remained well under 1%."
She said that while overall service has been impacted by the ongoing driver shortage--something that is happening to public transit nationally--TARC is working to hire more coach operators and engineers.
"We're deeply grateful to our team members for their dedication and flexibility throughout the pandemic and during this latest surge," Recktenwald said.
MORE LOCAL STORIES LIKE THIS:
- '...We got cut out along the lines somewhere' | Retired drivers claim TARC hasn't paid pandemic essential pay
- 'This should not be happening in 2021' | Councilwoman wants TARC to stop outsourcing paratransit after man claims TARC3 stranded him at theater
- 'A missed ride is never OK' | TARC3 driver shortage, long wait time issues still persist
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