The Butler Transit Authority is temporarily stopping its local service due to drivers experiencing illness.

According to the authority's website, Local Route 1 planned to end service Wednesday at the end of trip 7, which ran a route from 2:30 until 3:30 p.m. through Butler City, Pullman Square, Moraine Point, the VA Hospital and Butler Commons. After that trip, Butler Transit Authority's entire local service will not be in operation.

Transit Authority executive director John Paul said recent bus riders can get tested for COVID-19 if they feel ill, but the bus drivers still wear masks and sit behind plexiglass.

“It started last Friday with a driver getting sick, and by today we only had one driver for service,” he said. “You can't have service with only one driver.”

Paul said the transit authority contracted its commuter routes, which travel to and from Pittsburgh, for the first time ever, with the service Coach USA Lenzner.

“You can't do that for local service,” Paul said. “It wouldn't be possible with having to train them for the routes.”

Paul said local service is shut down indefinitely, with early-October likely being the earliest local buses can resume regular schedules.

The downtown bus terminal will also be closed. Upon service resuming and the terminal reopening, passengers with unlimited passes can see the terminal staff for replacement of their passes.

Paul said the transit authority apologizes for the stoppage and asked for understanding, patience and prayers for the drivers affected.

Passengers can check butlertransit.com for updates and information on when the service will start again, according to a post on the site.

“As people get healthy, we will get back to local service,” Paul said.