Montgomery County has been losing bus drivers at an alarming rate, with many of them changing jobs to work for Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) for higher pay.
According to county officials, 36 bus operators have resigned since Fiscal Year 2022 began. Twenty seven of those drivers left for WMATA.
To stop the driver drain, the county council on Tuesday unanimously voted for a supplemental appropriation of $8,631,000 to increase the pay of bus operators and bus coordinators. The pay increase is retroactive to the first full pay period in Fiscal Year 2022.
Meanwhile, rides on buses here remain free. Between 16% and 18% of the county’s operating budget for the buses used to come from fares, according to Councilmember Evan Glass.
Besides helping the bus operators earn a better living, “This is about transit equity,” noted Glass. It enables those without their own transportation to get to work, the grocery store, school and parks, he said.
Currently, the county’s minimum starting salary for bus drivers is about $2,500 less than what WMATA drivers receive.
Under the proposal that was adopted March 1, a transit bus operator’s starting salary increases by 1.6% from $44,285 to $45,000. An increase to $48,500 would take place once the employee completes training. Another 5.2% increase to $51,000 would take place once the employee finishes orientation.
While Metro rail ridership has decreased substantially during the pandemic, bus ridership here “actually is up,” said Council President Gabe Albornoz.
