Beginning on Saturday, April 18, START Bus will continue to right-size operations by suspending Route 20 Green Line weekend service (Saturday and Sunday) to Teton Village. Dramatic decline in usage for the Village service has occurred since mid-March, specifically on the weekend. At this time Route 20 Green Line service to Teton Village will continue Monday through Friday.
These right-sizing adjustments will allow START Bus to continue service to all of its operating areas, but adjusts service according to the current needs of the community. The focus remains on providing community members with the transportation needed to access essential services and activities.
“We are constantly monitoring ridership levels on all of our routes and we base our decisions to adjust service primarily on these numbers,” said Darren Brugmann, Transit Director. “We have effectively adjusted service in some form or another on all of our operations since March 19; however, we continue to provide some level of service to all of our operating areas - Town Shuttle, Teton Village (now only weekday), Commuter Routes and ADA Services.”
Public transportation, which includes bus drivers and mass transit workers, is considered essential infrastructure by the Department of Homeland Security, as well as state and local authorities. Until that guidance changes, START Bus will continue to offer service to the community as long possible while continuing to right-size the levels of service. START will continue to evaluate the level of service provided as further service adjustments may be necessary.
START Bus plays a vital role in the community as it creates a means of transportation for community members who do not have vehicles or are unable to drive for local trips to purchase groceries, obtain necessary healthcare, or commute to essential jobs.
Please do not take unnecessary trips and, as often as possible, keep 6 feet between yourself and others. START also recommends washing your hands before boarding and as soon as possible after disembarking.
It is important to note that START Bus is taking proactive measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic such as requiring drivers to wear personal protective equipment (PPE), requiring passengers to avoid seats near the drivers, and practicing enhanced cleaning procedures of the buses as recommended by health officials.
“START Bus looks forward to ramping service back to normal levels as the nation works to recover from these extraordinary circumstances,” said Darren Brugmann the Director of START Bus.
START understands and apologies any inconveniences that this reduction in service may cause and appreciates the community’s understanding as we continue to monitor the best way to safely service the community.
