Category: Bus news

Obama budget request: Transport details

February 15, 2011 WASHINGTON — The White House fiscal year 2012 budget request submitted to Congress Feb. 14 is unexpectedly generous toward the various modes of transportation. That said, the FY 2012 budget that emerges from a Republican-controlled House of Representatives and Democrati [...]

There is no ‘me’ in ‘union’

February 11, 2011 By Assistant President Arty Martin As I travel the nation attending local and regional meetings, I am often asked, “What has the union done for me?” Brothers and sisters, there is no “me” in “union.” Your union cannot make agreements for on [...]

Tags Arty Martin, Assistant President, union, unity

A ‘ring, ring’ may cost you your job

February 11, 2011 The Federal Railroad Administration has a stark message for rail workers with safety-related duties: Only use your cell phone when allowed or you could lose your job. Emergency Order No. 26, which went into effect in October 2008, restricts the use by train crews and others i [...]

Senate Banking (Transit) Committee members

February 7, 2011 WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats and Republicans have finalized appointments to the Senate Banking Committee, which is responsible for legislation affecting mass transit. Committee chairman is Sen. Tim Johnson (D-S.D.). Democrats: Tim Johnson (S.D.), chairmanDaniel Akaka [...]

Tags committee members, democrats, members, republicans, Senate Banking Committee, transit

Senate Labor Committee members

February 7, 2011 WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats and Republicans have finalized appointments to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Legislation affecting retirement, labor law and workplace issues are under the initial jurisdiction of this committee, which is chair [...]

Tags committee, committee members, democrats, members, republicans, Senate Labor Committee

Making bus voices heard in Washington

February 3, 2011 By Bonnie MorrAlternate Vice President, Bus Department The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is seeking comments on proposed new rules affecting drivers of commercial motor vehicles, which includes bus operators. The rules cover revocation or disqualificatio [...]

Singing Puccini, she trades bus job for TV

January 31, 2011 Warning: Do not try this without your employer’s permission. That said, a bus driver in Geneva, Switzerland, has gained television stardom there for her singing while at the wheel, reports AFP international news service. The 49-year-old female driver, Maya Wirz, was giv [...]

Tags AFP, bus, bus driver, Maya Wirz, singing, TV, Wirz

UTU bus drivers unite in HIV/AIDS battle

January 31, 2011 SAN FRANCISCO — In this city, horribly devastated by HIV and AIDS, 24 members of UTU Local 1741 here are participating in a 565-mile bicycle trek to raise funds for support services and HIV prevention efforts. Twenty-four members of the school-bus local, under the leade [...]

Tags bicycle, bus drivers, charity event, HIV/AIDS battle, Local 1741, Team United First, unite

Union membership fell sharply in 2010

January 24, 2011 Private sector and public sector union membership fell sharply in 2010, reports The New York Times. In the domestic private workforce, the percentage of workers represented by unions tumbled to 6.9 percent (from 7.2 percent in 2009), while in the public sector, the percentage [...]

Tags BLS, Bureau of Labor Statistics, membership, union, union membership

School bus Local 1741 ratifies new agreement

January 24, 2011 SAN FRANCISCO — First Student school bus drivers here, represented by UTU Local 1741, have ratified a new wage and benefits agreement by a 72 percent majority. “Our strategy was to keep negotiations limited to economics because the work rules in our contract are t [...]

Tags agreement, bus, negotiations, ratify, school bus