Los Angeles

Foothill Transit Lines to Resume Service After Morning Strike

The work stoppage at the Pomona operations facility involves both bus maintenance and bus operations

Service was expected to resume Monday afternoon on about 20 Foothill Transit bus lines affected by a morning work stoppage.

The work stoppage at the Pomona operations facility involved both bus maintenance and bus operations. Individuals carrying picket signs marched outside the building early Monday, when the yard's mechanics went on strike.

The transit agency said the following lines would be affected: 195, 197, 282, 285, 286, 289, 291, 292, 482, 486, 488, 492, 495, 497, 499, 699, 853, 854, and 855.

A representative from Foothill Transit told NBC4 late Monday morning that the strike was over. Full service was not expected to resume on Foothill Transit until Tuesday morning, but some increased service was expected by the Monday afternoon commute.

Click here for details about service changes.

Additional westbound trips were added to Line 498 and the Silver Streak in West Covina, and on 493 out of Industry Park and Ride. Extra service also will be provided on Lines 493, 498, and the Silver Streak for commuters who travel to downtown Los Angeles on 495, 497, 499, and 699.

"We are working with the contractor in Pomona on a service plan that will bring service back to promised levels as soon as possible," Foothill Transit said in a statement. "Our first priority is always safety. Service will be restored as safety requirements are met. We appreciate that you choose to ride with us for your commute. Thank you for your patience as we work to accommodate a swiftly changing situation. And we apologize for any inconvenience."

NBC4 has reached out the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1756 for comment on the strike

Keolis, the company that represents Foothill Transit, began operating the service July 1. Contract negotiations with the ATU included two offers in June that were rejected, according to Keolis. Four additional offers since then also were rejected, the company said in a statement.

"Keolis is committed to providing excellent service to the people of Pomona and surrounding areas, and we are disappointed at the ATU’s unwillingness to work with us to negotiate a fair and equitable agreement that will keep the Pomona’s buses in service," the statement continued. "We hope to have this resolved as quickly as possible and we greatly regret the disruption these actions are causing for the people of this community who rely on the bus system to get them where they need to go."

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