Phoenix Bus Strike Avoided for Now

Union and bus-company officials confirmed at about 2:30 a.m. Monday that they had OK’d a federal mediator’s request for a “cooling-off” period, leaving commuters able to continue to ride Valley buses.

Valley residents who regularly ride the buses were alerted this morning that they would be able to continue about their ride routines and using this public transportation.

Talks between negotiators for First Transit and Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1433, which represents about 400 Southeast Valley bus drivers, had taken part in a marathon negotiating session that started noon Sunday, according to azcentral.com.

Service from the Southeast Valley region into Phoenix and Scottsdale, as well as two routes serving Ahwatukee, would have been grounded in addition to nearly half of the Valley’s Metro’s service in Tempe, Chandler, Mesa and Gilbert.

The 40 routes of Valley Metro’s 101 total lines average 57,000 weekday passengers. making the Valley’s Metro transit system vital to the commuting of a significant portion of Valley citizens.