COVID-19 Causes Staff Shortages in Calgary Transit, Route Changes, Cancellations – Calgary | The Canadian News

If you’re a transit commuter in Calgary, you may want to check your bus route in the coming weeks.

Calgary Transit says the COVID-19 Omicron variant is distributed throughout the organization and affects staff levels.

Which in turn led to some service changes.

Several routes will be adjusted from Monday morning.

Mike Mahar, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 583, said about 150 runs were canceled by the middle of last week when nearly 100 drivers reported sick – a first for Calgary Transit.

“The sick list is probably double what it would normally be and even 30 or 40 percent higher than it was at the height of the pandemic,” Mahar said.

Mahar added that 450 transit workers were laid off during the pandemic due to low rider numbers, with many people working from home.

He said many were never replaced.

“Due to COVID and some of the city policies that have been implemented over the past two years, we have had exhaustion like never before.

“We probably had 125 people leaving in 2021 and a similar number in 2020. They therefore have very few staff.”

“They have used large amounts of overtime every day of the week for more than a year. There is no more wrapping space, there is no more stretch. ”

Calgary Transit advises users to look at their routes for the most accurate and up-to-date schedules.

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