Peter Pan to close Waterford division, lay off 40 drivers

Waterford — Peter Pan Bus Lines will lay off about 40 drivers when Foxwoods Resort Casino ends its employee shuttle service at the end of the month and will close its division here by the end of April, the division’s general manager said today.

About half of the 80 people who work at the bus company's facility on Fargo Road will be offered transfers to Peter Pan’s Rocky Hill facility or other company locations, Colin Johnson said.

The drivers who work the remaining Foxwoods shuttles, primarily runs between Norwich and the casino, have been notified that their last day of work will be Feb. 29, the day the shuttle service ceases, Johnson said.

Foxwoods announced in early January that it would stop providing the employee shuttle-bus service that operates daily from two Norwich lots and on weekends and holidays from Route 2 lots adjacent to Interstate 95 in North Stonington and west of Route 78 in Stonington.

Peter Pan has provided the service under contract to Foxwoods since the casino’s opening in 1992. The transportation has been free for Foxwoods employees.

The company is still considering providing a pay service for casino employees commuting from Norwich, Johnson said.