Fayetteville bus routes suspended after virus outbreak

Three employees who drive Fayetteville Area System of Transit buses have tested positive for coronavirus, forcing the city to suspend six routes.

Posted 7:50 p.m. Feb 12, 2021 — Updated 7:50 p.m. Feb 12, 2021

Gilbert Baez

, WRAL Fayetteville reporter

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Three employees who drive Fayetteville Area System of Transit buses have tested positive for coronavirus, forcing the city to suspend six routes.

In addition to the three drivers, 36 other FAST employees have been placed in quarantine following contact tracing, officials said Thursday. The first infection was reported Wednesday.

The following bus routes have been suspended indefinitely:

Route 9 – Stacy Weaver Drive/Rosehill Road
Route 10 – Strickland Bridge Road
Route 11 – Country Club Drive/Pamalee Drive
Route 15 – Cape Fear Valley Medical Center/Cross Creek Mall
Route 19 – Yadkin Road
Route 31 – Owen Drive/Gillespie Street (includes Enterprise Avenue)

Also, Route 7 – Raeford Road will operate on a reduced service schedule.

FASTTRAC! services for disabled passengers aren't affected.

Transit Director Randy Hume said he hopes to have enough drivers to restore full service in 10 days.

About 600 residents depend on the suspended routes, according to FAST officials.

The system has safely shuttled about 1.5 million passengers for free since last April with only two drivers previously testing positive, Hume said. FAST has taken several steps to mitigate the transmission of the virus, he said.

"When we pick up a passenger now, we have them load by the back door so they're separated from the operator," he said. "We have signs on the buses to keep [people] from sitting next to each other, and we've done a number of things to try to make sure we keep everything safe. And up till now, we've been very, very successful."

Residents can call 910-433-1747 for information about FAST fixed bus routes and 910-433-1232 for information about FASTTRAC! services.

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