NC State’s Wolfline bus system has recently experienced delays and cancellations, prompting student concerns. NC State Transportation said it’s working to resolve difficulties and improve rider satisfaction.
Connor Jones, NC State’s transit manager, designs the route schedules and manages the contract between NC State and Transdev, the third-party company that owns the Wolfline buses. He said the bus timing may not always be exact.
“Sometimes we’re right and sometimes we’re a little off,” Jones said. “Route 30, this semester, there’s just not enough time on that route.”
Next semester, Route 30’s current 30-minute schedule will be extended by a few minutes. Jones said construction on Dan Allen Road is set to finish before the spring semester, allowing Route 30 to resume its original path while still serving the stops by Talley Student Union and Carmichael Gymnasium.
Jones said bus delays are often due to traffic, shift changes and drivers’ bathroom breaks. Drivers are employed by Transdev, so they must first check in at the Transdev facility before being transported to NC State campus, which equates to a 15-minute journey. He said bus routes programmed without enough time can often fall behind.
“If [drivers] have to go to the bathroom or check something, they get behind,” Jones said. “And then it’s a vicious cycle of just being behind more and more.”
Buses often idle at stops, such as Route 30 at Wolf Village. Jones said it is important for drivers to balance route time and idling time to maximize efficiency. The Wolfline also faces service gaps due to Transdev’s driver shortages, a national issue. Additionally, he said the Passio GO! App sometimes incorrectly marks buses as out of service.
Demar Bonnemere, communications manager for the Transportation Department, said hiring drivers is difficult because they must possess a commercial driver’s license and undergo extensive training. Without this specialized driver’s license, training can take a month and a half.
“We can’t just hire somebody today and then have them out there tomorrow,” Bonnemere said. “It’s going to take some time to get drivers hired and then trained up before they start.”
After the COVID-19 pandemic, NC State downsized its bus fleet from 45 to 35 to cut costs. During peak hours, only 25 buses operate on the road, with the remainder as backup. Jones said the department is open to expanding service but is constrained by driver shortages from Transdev.
“We want to focus on possibly expanding weekend service and limited service because a lot of students have requested that,” Jones said. “But if we don’t have the drivers, we can’t do that.”
Jones said the department has added buses to some routes, such as 42 and 43, but must balance distribution across the system.
“We’re operating in a zero-sum game,” Jones said. “If we were to add service on one route, we would have to take service away from [another route].”
Jones is thankful for the dedication of current Wolfline drivers, who often work overtime and on days off to maintain service.
“People don’t realize that [drivers] are working so much overtime,” Jones said. “They’re working on days they have off. They’re signing up for extra shuttles like Red Terror to bring students to [sports games] just because it needs to be covered.”
Bonnemere said the transportation department is well aware of students’ frustrations and works hard to resolve issues. He said he urges students to be understanding.
“Just be patient with us,” Bonnemere said. “We’re doing everything we can on our end to assist [you] and get [you] service.”
