Workers Return; BART Trains Rolling Again
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- Bay Area Rapid Transit transit workers returned to work Friday afternoon after a four-day strike, and trains were rolling again shortly before 3 p.m..
A total of 35 trains were in service as of 3 p.m., when service resumed, according to agency officials.
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555 and Service Employees International Union Local 1021 had called for the strike after their contracts expired last Sunday.
After ongoing negotiations ended just before 11 p.m. Thursday, BART management and the unions agreed to extend the two striking unions' existing contract for 30 days.
BART Resumes Services Following Strike
BART ran seven charter buses from five BART stations at the West Oakland, El Cerrito del Norte, Walnut Creek, Dublin/Pleasanton and Fremont stations.
Even with service up and running, a BART representative said the buses would still be available Friday evening for anyone who had a return ticket back to the East Bay from the temporary Transbay Terminal in San Francisco.
Although the strike snarled commutes earlier this week, the work stoppage had less of an impact Friday because it was a day after a holiday, two factors that usually contribute to low ridership numbers during normal service, Allison said.
Friday was "relatively mild" along Alameda-Contra Costa Transit routes, which had dealt with crowded buses and high demand during the first three days of the strike, AC Transit spokesman Clarence Johnson said.
Johnson said a regular weekday schedule was in effect Friday.
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There was slightly higher ridership Friday morning than anticipated during a holiday period, he said.
No extra service was provided Friday, and there were no reports of long waits to board buses, he said.
The first three days of the strike, ferry ridership was up and the San Francisco Bay Ferry and Blue and Gold Fleet provided extra boats.
Starting Thursday for the Independence Day holiday and Friday, ferry service was on a holiday schedule and extra boats were not made available even as the strike stretched on.
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