Effective Saturday, April 4th, Sangamon Mass Transit District (SMTD) will begin running an hourly schedule on Saturdays. As with weekday service, ridership has seen a drop of fifty percent in the last three weeks. Following Monday’s implementation of the emergency weekday reduced schedules, this reduction to hourly service on Saturdays reflects lower ridership and SMTD’s ongoing efforts to provide service to those that need it while still protecting employees.
“Going to an all hourly schedule on Saturdays is another effort to have our service better reflect dwindling ridership due to COVID-19 and to protect our operators until our community comes out of this crisis,” said SMTD Managing Director Frank Squires.
SMTD says the changes affect fewer than half of Saturday’s routes, since many were already running hourly schedules. The 0E Express will continue to run every 30 minutes. However, other routes affected by the change are as follows:
Downtown Transfer Center now departing top of the hour ONLY (:00)
2 – North 9th/ Piper Rd/ Northgate;
7 – West Washington;
8 – S. Grand/MacArthur;
9 – M.L. King/East Cook;
10 – South 11th/ Stevenson
Junction Circle Transfer Point now departing quarter after the hour ONLY (:15)
13 – Westside Shopper
“We realize these changes may be an inconvenience to some passengers,” added Squires, “but we take our responsibility to our employees and passengers seriously. These changes reflect the situation today, and we hope no further reductions will be necessary. However, the situation is fluid, and we are evaluating our operators, procedures and employee needs daily.”
SMTD reminds potential passengers that bus travel is currently restricted to essential travel only, and anyone appearing symptomatic or not travelling for an essential purpose may be refused a ride. Additionally, alcohol is not allowed on SMTD vehicles, and passengers who are not disabled are asked to board at the rear doors of the buses.
