PHOENIX, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- Public buses will be rolling in the Phoenix area again Monday morning after striking drivers struck a contract deal, officials on both sides said.
The agreement Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1433 reached Sunday afternoon with First Transit, which operates bus service in the southeast valley for Valley Metro Regional Public Transportation Authority, was confirmed by union negotiator Michael Cornelius, First Transit officials and Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton, The Arizona Republic reported.
The three-year contract ends a four-day strike that shut down service in Tempe, Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler and parts of Scottsdale and Ahwatukee Foothills, along with express routes from the southeast valley communities to Phoenix and Scottsdale Airpark.
The newspaper said the walkout had disrupted service on 40 of Valley Metro RPTA's 101 Phoenix-area bus lines, which average 57,000 weekday riders who were left to their own devices for travel in the region's searing heat.
"We're going back to work. Buses will be running full-service [Monday morning]," Cornelius said. "We're very happy that we're going to be able to provide services to our community again and we're very sorry that they got caught in the middle of this."
First Transit Senior Vice President Nick Promponas said the transit service is "confident that this agreement serves the best interests of our union employees, the riding public, Valley Metro and First Transit."
"While we regret that a strike was not averted during the course of the negotiations, we appreciate that the ATU has shared our desire to resume transit service throughout the community as quickly as possible," he said.
Details of the agreement were not available.
