The service makes three daily trips to jobs in North Platte and currently carries about 90 people. Most riders are former employees of the Tyson plant in Lexington.
Published September 25, 2026.
By Hola Nebraska
LEXINGTON, Nebraska — Free transportation connecting workers in Lexington with jobs in North Platte will continue through at least March 2027 after receiving an extension of federal funding.
The service currently operates three daily trips: two carry employees to Sustainable Beef and one serves workers at a Walmart facility in North Platte. About 90 people use the buses each day, and most are former Tyson Foods employees.
The transportation service began in March following the closure of the Tyson plant in Lexington and is operated by Price’s Rentals. Rides are free for workers using the service.
Three daily buses connect Lexington workers with jobs in North Platte
Two of the daily trips serve workers employed at Sustainable Beef, while a third transports employees to a Walmart operation in North Platte.
Demand has grown in recent months. The operator added a larger bus after one of the Sustainable Beef routes began regularly reaching capacity.
With the additional vehicle, the service will be able to carry about 100 people. Current daily ridership is around 90 passengers.
The Nebraska Department of Labor (NDOL) supports the transportation as part of services for former Tyson workers who found new employment in North Platte.
Workers can request transportation details through their employer or NDOL
Workers interested in using the service can request information about schedules, pickup locations and registration directly from their employer.
NDOL also lists [email protected] for questions related to transportation for former Tyson workers who have been reemployed in North Platte.
Additional employment services are available through the Lexington Job Center at 1501 Plum Creek Parkway. The office provides job-search assistance, training resources and other support for workers affected by layoffs.
The Lexington Job Center can be reached at 308-324-2064 or by email at [email protected].
Federal funding will keep the service running through March 2027
The transportation program is part of the workforce response to the Tyson closure and is supported through the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
The Nebraska Department of Labor received $1,671,239 through a Dislocated Worker Grant tied specifically to the Tyson layoff in Lexington. The funding also supports job-search assistance, training and employment placement services.
The first round of funding for the buses had been scheduled to expire at the end of August, but funding was extended to keep the service operating through March 2027, according to Nebraska Public Media.
Tyson closure affected more than 3,200 jobs in Lexington
The Tyson plant closed in early 2026 after decades of operation in Lexington. Nebraska’s WARN records list 3,212 jobs affected by the closure.
Since then, state agencies, local organizations and employers in other Nebraska communities have developed programs aimed at helping displaced workers find new jobs without having to leave Lexington.
Related: Lexington prepares for a future without its largest employer, the Tyson plant
The buses are also bringing free food back to Lexington
The transportation service is also participating in a partnership that brings food from North Platte back to Lexington.
HOPE-Esperanza provides food to the buses at Sustainable Beef. Once the buses return to Lexington, the food is taken to the Lexington Public Library, where El Camino also participates in distribution.
Items have included fresh fruits and vegetables, bread and other basic groceries. The food distribution operates separately from the employment transportation service.
Current funding will allow the free trips between Lexington and North Platte to continue through March 2027.
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