Back in November, we experienced a nasty ice storm overnight. By morning, the roads were slick and becoming cluttered with colliding cars and people attempting to skate up steep hills in ill-equipped vehichles. I had only been with Mountain Metro for a few weeks, and in the process of obtaining updates to broadcast to riders, I was exposed to the hectic and fascinating world of dispatch. I was impressed--okay, practically mesmerized--by the skill with which our dispatchers dealt with an onslaught of communication from the field. Recently, I sat down with Lead Dispatcher, Chuck Finkle, to discuss what it's like to be in the throes of weather-related chaos.

What exactly is the role of a dispatcher? "Our job is to keep the buses rolling and on time as best we can," says Chuck. For Mountain Metro, that means two dispatchers at a time overseeing the more than 30 buses that are on the roads from morning drive time to evening service (approximately 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.). In order to ensure things run smoothly, dispatchers are connected to customer service phone lines and tuned into three radio channels: one for routes north of Pikes Peak Avenue, one for routes south of Pikes Peak Avenue, and a separate channel for supervisors and maintenance.  

 Lead Dispatcher Chuck Finkle at his desk.

As you can imagine, the dispatcher's job can turn on a dime. When inclement weather hits, "Schedules go out the window," Chuck laughs. "We try to keep them on time and running the best they can." To give you an idea, the issues they face range from late or stuck buses to frozen air lines or brakes to on-the-fly route detours due to impassable roads. On days when weather conditions are bad, many riders may not even notice the difference when they're catching a bus with a 30 minute headway that's 30 minutes behind schedule, because it seems to be on time. In these cases, dispatchers work with operators to hold buses at transfer centers to correct discrepancies.

I ask Chuck what would constitute a service shutdown. "It often depends on the city. If the storm is so bad that level one streets [translation: main arterial roads] cannot be kept clear, then I can't see putting buses out there," he says. Though, Mountain Metro strives to keep the buses running if at all possible. Often, Chuck or his supervisor, Jerry Lindemann, will go out early and drive the roads so they know what to expect, and have firsthand knowledge to make informed decisions about that day's service.

Mountain Metro is proposing a number of service changes to take effect March 30, 2014, including the following: 

• Addition of Sunday and holiday service to routes 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 25. Service would run every 60 minutes from 7:45 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.
• Addition of evening service (7:25-9:05 p.m.) to Route 9.
• Addition of Route 23 for service to the Powers Boulevard corridor. Route 23 is a proposed local express route that will originate at the Citadel Mall Transfer Center with service to Barnes Rd. and Tutt Blvd. Route 23 would run every 60 minutes from approximately 6:15 a.m. to 7:15 p.m.

Three public meetings have been scheduled to inform citizens of proposed changes and gather input before a final decision.

Tuesday, January 28 - Colorado Springs City Hall

Academy Room

107 N. Nevada Ave.

Colorado Springs, CO 80903

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Tuesday, January 28 - Colorado Springs City Hall

Academy Room

107 N. Nevada Ave.

Colorado Springs, CO 80903

5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Friday, January 31 - Discover Goodwill of Southern and Western Colorado

1460 Garden of the Gods Rd.

Colorado Springs, CO 80907

10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.