Category: Bus

LACMTA retiring last of diesel buses

January 12, 2011 The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, whose drivers are represented by the UTU, is phasing out its last diesel engine bus, becoming the nation’s first major urban bus fleet equipped entirely with alternative-fuel technology, which includes compressed n [...]

When Parks refused to move, we were raised higher

January 11, 2011 By Calvin Studivant, Alternate vice president, Bus Department December marked 55 years since Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Ala., bus — “an act that challenged the moral conscience of an entire nation,” said President Obama in honori [...]

Tags Local 1594, Montgomery Bus Boycott, Rhonda Taylor, Rosa Parks

Treasurers’ payroll tax update

January 11, 2011 Railroad Retirement, Social Security, Medicare and Railroad Unemployment Insurance payroll taxes have changed for 2011. Following are the tax rates: Railroad Retirement Tier I: Paid by employer: 6.20% on wages up to $106,800. Paid by employee: 4.2% on wages up to $106,800. S [...]

Tags payroll taxes, railroad retirement, Social Security, tax, tax rates

Obama again names NMB, STB nominees

January 6, 2011 WASHINGTON — President Obama has renominated two Republicans to key transportation posts after the Senate failed to take action on the nominations last year. Nominated to the three-person National Mediation Board, for a term expiring July 1, 2013, is Republican Thomas M [...]

Tags beck, NMB, Obama, STB, Surface Transportation Board, Thomas M. Beck

2011: So, where are we headed this year?

January 6, 2011 By UTU International President Mike Futhey We continue making progress in negotiations to amend the national rail agreement, affecting some 40,000 UTU members employed by BNSF, CSX, Kansas City Southern, Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific and many smaller railroads represented b [...]

We’ll keep pressing to improve, protect

January 4, 2011 By James StemUTU National Legislative Director January brings a new session of Congress and the start of state legislative sessions across the country. Our UTU legislative team in Washington and our state legislative directors will be on guard protecting the interests of our [...]

Tags funding, Jay Rockefeller, John Mica, legislation, privatization, RSIA, safety, state legislative directors

A bus policy worth expanding nationally

December 27, 2010 We know many UTU-represented bus drivers who would cherish for their systems the same zero-tolerance policy toward disorderly conduct that is in effect in Milwaukee. A bus passenger there was escorted off the bus and fined $500 for using obscenities in front of other passenge [...]

Senate failed to act on NMB, STB nominees

December 23, 2010 WASHINGTON — Two Obama administration nominations of Republicans to key transportation regulatory positions — one to the National Mediation Board; the other to the Surface Transportation Board — were returned to the White House by the Senate this week withou [...]

Tags National Mediation Board, NMB, nominees, senate, STB, Surface Transportation Board

SS, Rail Retirement benefits go electronic

December 22, 2010 Come May 1, Social Security and Railroad Retirement checks for new recipients no longer will be mailed. The Social Security Administration and the Railroad Retirement Board are going paperless — sending payment electronically (direct deposit) to those receiving retireme [...]

Tags benefits, checks, direct deposit, paperless, railroad retirement, Social Security

Payroll tax cut will NOT weaken trust funds

December 22, 2010 The 2 percentage point reduction in payroll taxes for railroad workers covered by Railroad Retirement, and bus and aviation workers covered by Social Security, will NOT have a negative impact on either the Railroad Retirement or Social Security trust funds, as has been wrongl [...]

Tags payroll, railroad retirement, Social Security, tax, tax cut, trust funds