Oats will temporarily stop running the Jeffco Express cross-county bus routes after today (March 20) because of the COVID-19 coronavirus, said Jill Stedem, administrative and development director for OATS Transit Inc.
Beginning Monday (March 23), OATS will only provide essential service transportation until at least April 6 through its OATS Transit and JC Transit call-a-ride services. Essential service transportation is defined as trips for dialysis, doctor appointments, grocery shopping, food banks and similar needs, the company said.
“This is a difficult decision and one we are not taking lightly, but it is the right thing to do during this national crisis,” OATS executive director Dorothy Yeager said.
OATS, which is based in Columbia and provides transportation services in 87 counties in Missouri, took over Jefferson County’s nonprofit bus service on Dec. 1, 2019. The Jeffco Express bus line previously was owned by the Jefferson County Community Partnership (JCCP).
OATS operates two cross-county routes, which mirror each other and complete three loops a day. One of those cross-county routes, the blue route, starts in De Soto and travels north to Arnold. The green route starts in Arnold and travels south. Both routes have stops in Hillsboro, Pevely and Festus.
OATS said the number of people on each scheduled ride service through OATS Transit and JC Transit will be limited.
Stedem said the number of people on a bus, which will not be the full-sized buses like the ones used for the Jeffco Express cross-county routes, will depend on the size of the vehicle and how many rides are scheduled that particular day.
The company said drivers will be routinely cleaning and disinfecting the buses throughout the day. OATS also has instructed drivers to refrain from touching any riders’ personal belongings and packages.
“We ask riders to be understanding and prepared for this adjustment to our normal routine,” the company said.
Those who need to schedule a trip with OATS Transit may call 636-933-9380 or 1-888-793-9333. To schedule a ride with JC Transit, call 636-937-6454 or 636-282-4470 or 1-888-793-9333.
JC Transit rides must be scheduled 48 hours in advance.
Arnold route on hold
OATS Transit used to operate a Jeffco Express route exclusively in Arnold, but that route was discontinued on Feb. 7, after Arnold City Council members voted to reject a contract extension with Jeffco Express.
Since then, the company and the city have renegotiated a contract, and OATS announced plans to restart the Arnold bus route on March 23.
However, that start date has been delayed to April because of the coronavirus outbreak, OATS announced Monday (March 16).
“We will re-evaluate the situation as changes happen over the next few weeks and provide an update as we know more,” OATS said in a written statement.
When the Arnold route resumes, it will make four trips around the city per day with 30 stops. It previously circled the city five times per day.
The Arnold route was established in 2011m with the city agreeing to pay for up to half of the route’s operating cost.
On March 5, after ending its previous contract with Jeffco Express, City Council members unanimously approved a one-year contract with OATS and agreed to pay up to $44,800 this year to help fund it. Under the previous contract, the city would have paid $69,104 this year to partially fund the route, but the cost was reduced by lowering the number of loops around the city.
When the service resumes, a bus will run in Arnold from 7-9 a.m., 9:20-11:20 a.m., noon-2 p.m. and 2:30-4:30 p.m.
