Some Omnitrans buses running between San Bernardino and Ontario and those linking Fontana to Ontario International Airport are arriving and departing on a far less frequent basis than usual, due to a labor action by drivers who are seeking higher pay and more comprehensive benefits.
Omnitrans is the largest government-established public transportation agency in San Bernardino County, serving the most densely populated 480-square miles of the 20,560-square mile county. Established in 1976, it includes 15 cities in its service area and portions of unincorporated county areas with routes that reach into Riverside County and Los Angeles County. Carrying about 11 million passengers per year or about 25,000 per weekday.
Omnitrans operates fixed route bus service, bus rapid transit and a paratransit service for the disabled, referred to as “Access.” Its routes run from Chino Hills, Chino, Montclair through Upland, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Fontana, Rialto, Colton, San Bernardino, Highland, Grand Terrace, Loma Linda, Redlands and Yucaipa, south of the San Bernardino Mountains.
According to Omnitrans, it is in negotiations with the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1704, and the drivers on its Route 1 between San Bernardino and Ontario and Route 61 between Fontana and Ontario have staged a walkout to demonstrate the union’s seriousness. Amalgamated Transit Union publicly stated that the walkout was not officially organized by the union and that the drivers who walked out were doing so on their own initiative. The walkout appeared to involve just Route 1 and Route 61, but extended to all of those drivers. One of the organizers of the walkout was Mahmoud Tarifi. Those in league with him said the situation involving drivers is dire.
The walkout came on Wednesday, April 2, requiring Omnitrans to switch drivers from other routes to routes 1 and 62 and react by making fewer runs than normal through the day. This resulted in 30-minute wait times between buses, about twice the length of time as normal. Buses on those routes run 15 minutes on weekdays, according to the Omnitrans website.
Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1704 officials said they were continuing to bargain in good faith with Omnitrans.
Omnitrans officials want a settlement along reasonable lines and do not want to be pressured into an unrealistic agreement involving terms that will in the long run be disadvantageous to riders, the agency and ultimately employees. Members of management, most of whom are licensed bus drivers, will drive routes as needed if further walkouts that are not authorized by the union take place.