The Regional Transportation District has a 160-operator shortage, and the board of directors will decide whether to make temporary service cuts until the problem is under control.

“We have a service cut every day when we have a dropped run,” Director Jeff Walker said, as reported by CPR. “It’s just that they are a surprise to a lot of people, and they shouldn’t be a surprise. As soon as anything can be put in front of us, I’m all for it. The sooner the better.”

Staff told the board that operators working overtime cover 15 percent of bus runs and an even higher percentage of light rail runs. Up to 2 percent of all runs get dropped even with that stopgap measure.

While potential service cuts are anathema to many groups with a stake in RTD, board members said that consulting with the community and making cuts temporary would be the least they could do.

“We need to give ourselves back our credibility and our trust with the public,” board Chair Doug Tisdale said.

Staff will return to the board in November with a plan, which could take effect as early as 2020. Depending on the nature of service adjustments, the transit union may need to approve it as well.