Regular weekday Metrobus service will return Monday after COVID-19 outbreaks limited staffing and service for nearly a month.

Metrobus routes have been cut by about a quarter since Jan. 10 after “above-average absenteeism” forced the system to operate on its limited Saturday schedule for most of January, according to a release issued by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority last week. The release states staffing shortages have become less severe as COVID-19 cases continue declining, enabling the expansion of bus service.

WMATA officials announced in late December that 52 bus routes were experiencing delays and disruptions because of “periodic” operator shortages resulting from the number of drivers who had recently contracted COVID-19.

“I want to thank our customers for their patience as we took swift action to protect the health and safety of riders and employees in the face of the unprecedented COVID surge, which has impacted about 10 percent of our workforce since the holidays,” WMATA CEO and General Manager Paul Wiedefeld said in the release.