County transit buses still operating, with limits

Chase County Transit buses in Imperial and Wauneta are still available, but riders are being asked to limit their use.

“We’re still a call-for-ride, but we are limiting our rides,” said Transit Manager Billie Muehlenkamp.

“We try to get everybody to get all of their errands done in one ride a week, unless it’s doctor or treatment or something like that. Grocery shopping and errands, we want just one ride a week just to limit (coronavirus) exposure.”

Many of the service’s users are regulars and drivers have told them of the restrictions, Muehlenkamp said. They’ve also been announced on Facebook and through signs on the buses.

Riders appear to be listening, she said, although “it took a little adjustment for the first few days.” The restrictions went into effect in late March.

The service also has asked drivers to clean their buses several times a day and “if anybody’s sick, we ask them not to ride,” Muehlenkamp said.

The buses will be available for medical appointments as far away as Kearney. 

“If anybody has symptoms, we make sure they’re on a bus by themselves,” Muehlenkamp said.  

“We take them and clean the bus after we’re done transporting them. We really haven’t had any issues as far as that.”

For now, the service will not run its usual monthly trip to McCook for those looking to shop there. 

“All they can go out of town for is medical appointments,” Muehlenkamp said.

Even though Chase County is now shut down by order of the state, the transit service will have forms available riders can sign so they can be taken to out-of-town medical appointments. 

But the decision on whether to do that will be “up to our drivers,” she said. “That’s a choice they would have to make whether they want to expose themselves.”