SALT LAKE CITY — Bus drivers were outside protesting Wednesday morning during a Utah Transit Authority meeting.
“Who moves this city?” they chanted. “We move this city.”
At the end of April, UTA operators received a memo that UTA was considering creating a "supplemental service" for the ski bus, which would mean using third-party contractors and outsourcing the routes to non-UTA drivers, said Rod Dunn, the president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local #382.
“They didn't talk to the union beforehand,” he said. “Usually with the prior executive directors, if there's a challenge or some with service, they'll talk to the union. We sit down, we work it out, we figure something out, see if we can come up with solutions. None of that happened. We just all got blindsided. Kind of an insult to everybody here. [The drivers] have done all this work that they're talking about contracting out, and they've done it well.”
Union vice president Doug Underwood says operators are willing to step up, and the union can help UTA hire and retain more people.
“[UTA] said they didn't want to overwork those people they got, but they're not even working the ones that they’ve got,” he said. “That's why we're saying we can do the work they're trying to outsource.”
Carl Arky with UTA sent the following statement to FOX 13 News:
“UTA will provide ski bus service in 2024-25.
"Moreover, the goal is to improve the ski bus service. With that in mind the organization is exploring the possibility of developing more supplemental service on an as-need basis that would not only support ski bus service, but all of the core, day to day service UTA provides throughout the system year-round.
"This not only applies to ski bus/seasonal services, but special event services (i.e.,The Hill Air Force Base Air Show), and bus bridges used as work arounds when we are doing State of Good Repair (SGR) maintenance on our rails, roads, facilities, etc.
"All of this is in the exploratory stage. The requisition for proposals (RFP) is still being written. Nothing has been sent to vendors. There has not been any contact or conversation with potential contractors. UTA has not received any bids. UTA does not know at this point if it will receive bids. Nor does UTA know the exact scope of the supplemental services which might be offered and discussed. The hope is a solution can be found to mitigate the fluctuations UTA experiences in staffing needs, supervisor workloads and vehicle maintenance demands that accompany ski bus service.
"All of these various factors present challenges in terms of resourcing and staffing, and they impact UTA’s baseline (core) service which many in our community rely upon for travel to and from jobs, school, medical appointments, shopping, etc.
"UTA would not be replacing its existing workforce should the agency enter into supplemental service agreements. It’s also noteworthy that UTA, like many other major market public transit agencies, already works with third party vendors providing supplemental services such as Via On Demand and paratransit service in Utah County. UTA also contracts with High Valley Transit out of Park City to help support ski service by operating the SLC-Park City connection.
"To UTA’s knowledge, no other major market mass transit agency provides the type of all-day ski bus service to and from seven major ski resorts which UTA intends to continue providing next ski season. The intent is to not only improve ski service, but to grow and improve service throughout UTA’s entire system.”
“[Drivers] like what they do,” said Dunn. “They like moving Utah. They're dedicated. I believe the passengers love their operators, and they just don't deserve this. They don't deserve to be treated like this.”
