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Riders brace for Metro Transit bus drivers strike
by Toni Randolph, Minnesota Public Radio
March 3, 2004

Metro Transit buses were still rolling Wednesday, one day before drivers are scheduled to go on strike. (MPR Photo/Samatha Kennedy)

Metro Transit bus drivers are scheduled to walk off the job early Thursday morning, leaving some 75,000 daily bus riders scrambling for another way to get around town.

St. Paul, Minn. — George Hall rides the number 71 bus every day to his job in downtown St. Paul. He says the bus is relaxing and economical -- $1.75 each way, every day, compared to $6 or $7 a day for parking -- plus gas -- if he drives his car to work. But he says when the bus drivers go on strike, he will drive and he will pay. He says he'd rather save the money, but he understands the drivers' decision.

"It's a big enough deal but I'm not losing sleep over it. That's what they have to do. I'm on the drivers' side about this one," Hall says.

	Few options besides the bus

Talks between Metro Transit and the union for the drivers broke down over salary and benefits. Angela McGuire also takes the bumpy ride on the number 71 bus to work every day. She says she's sympathetic to the drivers' concerns -- but only to a point.

"I can understand where they're coming from in terms of their health costs increasing and things like that, but that's indicative of the times. Everyone has to pay an increase in health care," McGuire says. "I'm kind of disappointed that this is happening now, whereas they've had since last July to get this resolved."

But since the dispute wasn't resolved, McGuire says she'll ride her bike or walk to work. But fellow rider, AnnaLisa Anderson doesn't have those options. Anderson is blind. She rides the bus every day with her seeing-eye dog, Meagan. Anderson has arranged for friends to take her to work during the strike, but she says it'll be a major inconvenience for her.

	Bus driver Jeff Johnston

"As you can imagine, I take buses all the time, not just to get to work but to get other places, too," says Anderson. "So it's going to affect my independence a lot. I'd have to rely on someone else to get a ride someplace or take a taxi, which will cost a lot more money."

Across the Twin Cities, businesses and bus riders are making plans they hope will minimize the impact of the disruptions that will be caused by the strike. Some companies are organizing car pools.

Metro Transit is trying to help with a service designed to match people who want to share rides to work. The city of Minneapolis says it will offer limited free parking during the strike to cars with five or more riders.

On the 71-B bus, driver Jeff Johnston urged riders to make plans for late night transportation. Johnston told riders to catch the bus no later than 1 a.m. Thursday, because the buses have to be back in the garage by 2 a.m., when the drivers are scheduled to begin their strike.

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