VA Reps Pressure Metro As Metrobus Worker Strike Continues

BURKE, VA — The nearly monthlong strike of contracted Metrobus drivers on Northern Virginia routes led members of Congress to push for accountability from Metro on disruptions to riders.

Bus drivers at the Cinder Bed Bus Garage in Lorton, which serves more than a dozen bus routes in Northern Virginia, went on strike on Oct. 24. Metro contracted out management of the Cinder Bed Bus Garage to Transdev, a French private company, in 2018. The workers claim the privatized garage provides less pay and worse benefits than other regional bus drivers receive.

As contract negotiations continue between the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689 and Transdev, Reps. Don Beyer, Gerry Connolly and Jennifer Wexton criticized Metro's lack of involvement in the process and alternatives for riders who rely on the impacted bus routes.

"Notably, this dispute has interrupted service for our constituents for nearly a month and has reportedly affected around 8,500 commuters," reads the letter to Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld and Board Chair Paul Smedberg. "During this timeframe, Transdev has failed to reopen the bus routes, and disappointingly, WMATA has refused to involve itself in the negotiations or create transportation alternatives for riders on the impacted routes."

The impacted routes represent around 5 percent of Metrobus routes. According to Metro's alerts, the following routes are not operating: Annandale (29G), Braeburn Drive-Pentagon Express (29W), Kings Park-North Springfield Line (17B, 17M), Kings Park Express (17G, 17H, 17K), Burke Centre Line (18P), Orange Hunt Line (18G, 18J, 18H) and Springfield Metro Circulator (S80, S91) Routes running on a Saturday schedule are Alexandria-Fairfax (29K and 29N) and Richmond Highway Express (REX).

Meanwhile, another strike could happen in the coming days. Fairfax Connector bus drivers in the ATU Local 1764 union voted to authorize a strike if a new collective bargaining agreement isn't reached with Transdev. The current contract expires on Nov. 30.