Complaints suggest some Sun Metro operate without Air Conditioning
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- A Sun Metro bus driver told ABC-7 that some of the buses of its fleet have been operating without air conditioning in recent weeks.
The bus driver who has worked for Sun Metro for 20 years didn't want to be identified. The driver said the morning shift drivers have A.C. until 11 a.m. or noon, but the afternoon shift drives with no air conditioning.
The driver said passengers have complained about this situation whenever they go on the bus.
"It's not right, it's unsafe to be driving with no air conditioner because outside it can be one-hundred degrees but inside the bus is like 110-120 degrees," he said.
ABC-7 also reached out to the city of El Paso to ask if they have buses operating without proper climate control and released a statement saying:
"Sun Metro buses do offer air conditioning. Presently, we have up to 10 buses (out of 160) being serviced for A.C. Something to keep in mind this summer is we are experiencing a historic heatwave, and on high ridership routes, every mile or so, the driver stops and opens all four doors to pick up passengers allowing hot air to enter the bus and cool air to escape. In cases where a driver alerts dispatch of high heat, a relief driver is sent out to relieve the driver. Drivers have also been provided ice coolers and have access to ice, Gatorade, and cooling towels. Customers may report issues with heat on buses by dialing (915) 212-3333," the city said.
The driver says several other drivers have quit their jobs less than a year in due to some of the same concerns.
More complaints from bus drivers say, with the previous administration under Jay Banasiak things were different when these kinds of issues happened with A.C. units or anything else on the buses.
