A agreement has been reached between a contractor and Teamsters Local 683 to operate bus routes in South Bay and East County that had been affected by a weeks-long work stoppage, officials said Sunday.
Scheduled bus routes for the regional Metropolitan Transit System divisions that are served by the contractor, Transdev, are anticipated to operate on a normal schedule on Monday.
All service will not be restored, however. MTS Access and minibus service still will be affected as negotiations continue with Transdev and another Teamsters bargaining unit, Local 542.
More than 600 bus drivers overall have taken part in the work stoppage.
In a statement, Stephen Whitburn, a San Diego City Council member who also serves as MTS board chair, acknowledged riders “who have experienced major disruptions in their daily lives” as negotiations ground on. He expressed appreciation for their “patience and understanding.”
He also credited Teamsters Local 683 for coming to terms on a new contract with Transdev, but said “work still needs to be done to address some of the issues for better working conditions.”
The MTS and minibus service routes that continue to be affected by the work stoppage are:
- MTS Access, 14, 18, 25, 83, 84, 833, 838, 944, 945, 946, 964, 965, 985;
- Saturdays, 832, 833, 838, 945, 965;
- Sundays, 832, 833, 838.
As the work stoppage continued, Whitburn called for an item to be added to the board’s Thursday agenda to provide an additional $1 million in funding for the current contract. The action was proposed, though, on the basis that service would be restored by the end of the coming week.
The MTS board approved $21 million in new funding in January for a $2/hour wage increase for all Transdev bus operators at the East County and South Bay divisions through mid-2031.
For specific route information, call MTS Information and Trip Planning at 619-233-3004 or check online alerts.