VALLEY METRO

DOES IT REALLY CARE ABOUT THE EMPLOYEE’S OF THE LOW BIDDING PROVIDERS IT SELECTS TO PROVIDE BUS AND LIGHT RAIL SERVICE HERE IN THE VALLEY?

The employee’s of the providers that operate the buses and soon to be light rail are responsible for the safety of the public they transport everyday. It amazes this Local that the city official continue to select the providers for the service on a low bid basis. It costs the same to run a bus form one point to the other no matter what provider is selected. The only cost savings a provider can cut cost on are on the benefits they pay their employees.

The bids of the providers when they bid for the transit work are awarded on a low bid basis. They are awarded the work and it is unrealistic to believe that they can maintain the current benefits paid to their employees let alone provide any additional cost of living increase to allow its employees to survive. With some annalists saying that Arizona is in a recession and the way gas prices are going up with the record breaking cost for a barrel of oil how can any employee survive under these conditions.

Some may say use the public transportation to get to work that will save you money and even help with the environment. The employees we are talking about do not have this option; they are the front line and back bone of the industry. They must be the first ones up in the morning to get the public to work and the last one home at night after they get you home. The valley is short of bus drivers and that causes the providers to force mandatory overtime. This forcing causes a fatigue factor that inherently will cause an unsafe working environment. Do you want an over worked fatigued operator driving you or your loved ones to their destination. It is cheaper to over work an employee then it is to hire additional employees and pay more benefits.

It is time for Valley Metro to stop worrying about pinching pennies at the expense of the employees of the low bidding providers and start worrying about the safety and well being of the public.

TIMES MAY BE HARD BUT DO NOT CUT COST AT THE EXPENSE OF THE ONES WE SERVE!