Amalgamated Transit Union Local 697 and Ohio’s Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) board came to an agreement on a new 2 1/2-year contract.

ATU — which represents more than 200 of TARTA’s employees — approved the contract at a meeting earlier this month, with the contract approved March 20. The union’s membership includes TARTA fixed route, paratransit, and TARTA Flex on demand operators, in addition to mechanics and other personnel.

“The first contact so many customers have with TARTA is with their operator, and we are thrilled to have reached an agreement that benefits TARTA, its employees and its customers,” said TARTA Board President Kendra Smith. “We continue to celebrate the skill, hard work and dedication displayed by these frontline workers as they carry out their essential role in the community.”

TARTA’s Agreement with Union

The agreement keeps pay and benefits for operators and maintenance employees in line with transit industry standards and locally competitive with area jobs of the same nature. 

The agreement — which takes effect May 1, and runs through December 31, 2027 — allows a raise of 11.5% over three years. Four percent increases will be effective July 1 of 2025 and 2026, and a 3.5% increase will take effect in July 2027.

The contract enables TARTA to create an operator apprenticeship program in collaboration with the National and local ATU union. 

The apprenticeship program utilizes an industry-proven curriculum to ensure operators have the skills needed for a successful career in public transit.

More Contract Details

The move is in addition to the already established M-PACT mentorship program for newer drivers and would be the next step in TARTA’s increased commitment to training and workforce development for its team members.

The agreement also invests in the future of electric vehicle fleet maintenance workforce by increasing wage differentials for obtaining additional professional certifications.

TARTA’s last contract with ATU — which was ratified in 2022 and raised wages 20% over three years — represented the first significant raise in years for many team members. 

TARTA CEO Laura Koprowski knows it’s not an accident that employee retention has gone up as wages have.

“Fair wages and benefits support our efforts to attract and retain a talented workforce,” she said. “We have nearly a full complement of drivers for the first time in decades, which is not a coincidence. As more people consider a career in public transportation, I think the word is out that the new TARTA respects and values its people. That is certainly something we aspire to continue.”