ITHACA, N.Y. (WHCU) – TCAT has implemented emergency service cuts, effective tomorrow.

The transit company is eliminating routes 83 and 14S while reducing five others until further notice to help better service riders at peak times. GM Scot Vanderpool says this is an unfortunate trade-off between losing a substantial number of customers or lessening the impact by spreading the inconvenience out among several routes.

“The entire system relies on high ridership routes to bring in revenue,” says Vanderpool. “If we continue to leave hundreds of people on the curb every day we risk the health of all routes.”

TCAT officials say ‘”not knowing what buses were repaired or maintained overnight until an early-morning fleet evaluation” has led to early morning changes at the last minute, oftentimes leaving riders without time to make alternative plans and crowding buses that run at later times.

TCAT says these reductions are part of a short-term strategy to be followed by longer-term service adjustments that will last “at least through the winter holidays.” TCAT encourages customers to stay informed on their website and Bus Tracker.

Service changes to go into effect Thurs., Sept. 14 until further notice:

Eliminated Routes: 14S (West Hill shopper) and 83 (Cornell Campus) West Hill riders needing to travel to southwest shopping centers can use the route 14 bus to travel downtown, and transfer to a route 15 to southwest retailers. As an alternative to route 83, riders can use the route 31 bus.

Adjusted routes:

Route 10 (Commons-Cornell) Eliminated 7:11a.m.; 7:33 a.m.; 7:55 a.m. and 8:17 a.m. trips starting from Seneca St. Station.

Route 13 (Commons/Fall Creek/Aldi/Ithaca High School) Eliminated the 10:15 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. outbound trips starting from Green St. Eliminated the 10:35 a.m. and the 11:20 a.m. inbound trips starting from Stewart Park to Green St. Station. Note: The 6:53 a.m.. inbound trip from TCAT to downtown is also cut.

Route 21 (Trumansburg/ Commons): Eliminated the 7:42 a.m. outbound trip starting from Green St. Station and the 8:15 a.m. inbound trip starting from Compass Manufactured Home Community.

Route 40 (Groton/Cornell/Commons): Eliminated the 8:40 a.m. outbound trip starting from Green St. Station, and the 9:15 a.m. inbound starting from Groton Speedway.

Route 81 (Cornell Campus) Eliminated the 8:25 a.m. from A-Lot and the 8:43 a.m. from Boyce Thompson Institute.