With the peak of omicron impacting transit agencies throughout the holidays and into the month of January, the issue brought the industry’s workforce needs even further into the forefront.
The agency is offering up to a $2,500 pay incentive as part of a new campaign to hire more bus drivers.
MARTA budgets for 1,366 full-time bus operators and currently has 1,179 on staff, representing a 14% deficit.
Under the incentive program, all employees will be paid $500 to get the vaccine.
Only 14% of Americans now say that they are not likely to get vaccinated, according to a recent Ipsos poll.
The policies come on the heels of a global climate summit and promises made by President Biden to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030.
CEO Rick Leary announced temporary layoffs in April in the wake of a historic ridership drop caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting shut down of schools and non-essential businesses.
METRO’s Managing Editor Alex Roman recently spoke to The COMET’s Executive Director/CEO John Andoh for a new podcast called METROspectives.
The distribution of cloth facial coverings includes 4.8 million for mass transit and passenger rail, as well as 2.1 million for highway and motor carriers.
The ability to facilitate access to testing for employees will lead to quicker identification of cases, quicker treatment for those testing positive, and immediate isolation to prevent spread.
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