When will the third strike be over?
The strike will be over when the Teamsters decide to come back to work. The RTC is not a party to the negotiations between Teamsters and Keolis and is not in control of whether people decide to work. By law, these negotiations can only be between the Teamsters and Keolis. The RTC continues to strongly urge both sides to resume negotiations with a mediator.

How can I get where I need to go during the strike?
Getting our passengers where they need to go continues to be the RTC’s top priority. The RTC apologizes for the inconvenience the third strike is having on our passengers. We currently have limited RIDE service, FlexRIDE service in both regular and contingency zones, and we’re offering Uber vouchers and taxi rides. RTC staff is available to answer your questions and help with travel planning. Please call (775) 348-RIDE for assistance. For more information, visit this webpage.

What else is the RTC doing to help people?
The RTC is working to find alternative transportation options for our passengers who have been stranded by this strike. The RTC assumes that this is going to be a long-term strike and will provide the best transportation services possible under the circumstances. Please continue to check this webpage for updates.

Why are some buses still running?
Nevada is a “right to work” state which means that Keolis employees do not have to join the union, and may also choose to leave the union. Some Keolis employees have decided to come to work and that is why some buses are still running. Keolis managers have also been helping cover shifts as needed.

What are RTC’s transit contractors, Keolis and MTM, doing to get more drivers on the road?
Like other businesses locally and across the country, our fixed-route and paratransit/FlexRIDE contractors, Keolis and MTM respectively, are experiencing unprecedented staffing shortages for drivers. Both employers have ramped up recruitment efforts to attract new applicants.

Keolis is offering a $2,000 sign-on bonus, paid Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training, referral bonuses, and more. To help recruit applicants, Keolis hosts bi-weekly job fairs, has printed banners near fleet facilities, placed ads, posts jobs on social media and job-seeker websites, placed television advertising, and more. Keolis also has a full-time recruiter on staff locally.

MTM is offering a $3,000 sign-on bonus, no CDL required, referral bonuses, and more! MTM is advertising on social media, recruiting websites, and Spotify. MTM also has banners posted near fleet facilities.

The RTC encourages any interested individuals to apply on the Keolis and MTM websites.

What has Keolis offered the Teamsters?
Based on the information distributed by Keolis and the Teamsters, it appears both parties agree that in the first week of November Keolis offered the following:

• 12% wage increase (4% each year for three years).
• Wage tiers for bus operators so they would get raises faster as they gain seniority more quickly.
• Additional vacation.
• Increased contributions to the employees’ pension fund.
• A one-time, $1,000 bonus to each employee upon ratification of the collective bargaining agreement.

What is the solution to ending further strikes?
Negotiation requires compromise. Continued strikes are not the solution. The RTC asks the union to stop misrepresenting the facts and using bullying tactics. The right answer to resolve this is for the Teamsters to go back to the bargaining table along with Keolis and for the parties to negotiate an agreement that is fair and equitable to all.

Questions:
If you have a question that is not answered as part of this FAQ, please submit your question to rtccommunicationsteam@rtcwashoe.com.