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    1. Management

    OCTA, Coach Operators’ Union Reach Tentative Agreement, OC Bus Service Continues as Usual

    Feb. 17, 2022
    Coach operators are expected to vote on ratification this week and a special OCTA Board of Directors meeting would follow next week to consider final approval.
    Related To: Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA)
    OCTA
    Octa 620e737829419

    The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) and the coach operator union reached a tentative agreement for a new contract on Feb. 15, keeping buses running for the thousands of Orange County passengers who rely upon bus service. 

    The tentative agreement was reached following more than 21 hours of negotiations that began Feb. 14 and lasted through the night until Tuesday morning. This bargaining session was after OCTA and the union met on approximately 40 previous occasions. 

    The tentative agreement is still subject to ratification by members of the coach operators’ union, Teamsters Local 952. That ratification vote is expected later this week. The agreement must also get final approval from the OCTA Board of Directors. A special meeting is scheduled for next week. Details of the agreement would be disclosed publicly after final approval. 

    “We are very happy that both sides worked together in good faith to find resolution and avoid any disruption for those who rely upon OC Bus,” said OCTA Chairman Mark A. Murphy, also the mayor of Orange. “We still have to seek final approvals, but I’m happy to say that our buses, driven by our outstanding coach operators, will continue to run, helping get our passengers to the places they need to be throughout Orange County. We believe this tentative agreement rewards the excellent work of our coach operators while remaining responsible to taxpayers.” 

    OC Bus is essential to ensuring the public can get to work and has access to healthcare, including COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites. Service is also vital for students to get to and from school. In the past six months, more than one million trips have been taken on OC Bus with OCTA’s Youth Ride Free and college pass programs. 

    In addition, approximately 85 percent of riders use OC Bus as their primary means of transportation. 

    OCTA’s existing contract with the union, which represents approximately 600 coach operators directly employed by OCTA, expired April 30, 2021. If approved, the new contract would run through April 2024. 

    OCTA says it met with the union leaders approximately 40 times over the past year to negotiate a new contract and enhanced its offer to the union multiple times to help resolve disputes over break time and wages, among other issues. 

    Over the weekend, and again on Monday, OCTA and the union agreed to bring in state mediators to help find resolution.