Hampton Roads Transit drivers and mechanics negotiated huge pay raises in their new union contract.
Starting pay will increase by 27% for operators and maintenance workers at HRT under the new three-year contract.
Bus operators, for instance, will now earn $29 per hour, up from the roughly $24 hourly wage drivers climbed to in the most recent year of the previous contract.
The new contract also reduces the amount of time for bus and light-rail operators to hit the top of the pay scale, more sick leave and additional days off.
HRT’s Deputy CEO Brian Smith said management sees the raises and other perks included in the contract as a draw for workers.
“What we hope to see with this contract is being able to continue to hire and train and keep a talented workforce that helps Hampton Roads move.”
HRT struggled to recruit qualified drivers during the COVID-19 pandemic. That delayed the rollout of efforts to cut wait times on key bus lines.
Smith said since then, recruitment efforts have ramped up and been met with success, allowing them to implement reduced 15-minute wait times on several routes. The increased frequency of buses has increased ridership substantially along those lines, which wouldn’t be possible without more drivers, according to HRT.
The number of riders on several of the agency’s 757 Express lines has increased by anywhere from 39 to 64% since the move to 15-minute service, HRT announced earlier this month.
Regional business leaders previously told WHRO the lack of a reliable regional transit system hurts economic development.
Calls to leaders with the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1177, which represents the HRT employees, were not returned Tuesday.
