ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Bus driver vacancies have finally been declining at ABQ Ride over the last few months – they say thanks to hiring efforts and added incentives. But ABQ Ride is now tackling its next speedbump: hiring mechanics to keep up with demand.
At ABQ Ride, the bus driver vacancy rate is sitting at 44%, which is the lowest it’s been in about three years. “Previously, we were upwards of 114 vacant spots, but we’re down to 84 spots at the moment,” says Bobby Sisneros, ABQ Ride Deputy Director. “So we’ve seen a huge reduction, and we couldn’t be more pleased.”
But it’s not just drivers who keep the buses running. Hiring mechanics has been more challenging. They currently have 20 vacancies out of a total of 43 positions, which has remained steady since 2023.
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“The mechanic position is harder to fill; it’s a specialty position. You have to know how to work on these complex pieces of equipment,” Sisneros says…