ATU Professions and Industries
ATU members are employed in a matrix of industries and professions within the transit industry. The many professional skills displayed by our members underscores their importance to mass transit as well as their commitment to moving America and Canada Safely. Below is a brief overview of the areas in which ATU members serving the public:
Professions
OperatorATU members perform vital basic functions in several different industries. The earliest of these is that of the "operator" or driver of a mass transit vehicle.
Few professions carry the weight of responsibility as that of a bus, van or light rail operator. The safety and security of the riding public, along with the pedestrians and other vehicles who compete for road space, is the constant concern of the operators who navigate our streets and rails. And when you consider that the choreography of navigating a bus or train across treacherous terrain or packed surface streets is done against the ever-ticking clock of a route schedule, you begin to appreciate the professionalism of the operator which we have come to take for granted.
Maintenance
Most prominent among our members who maintain our nations' transit systems are our mechanics. But our maintenance members also perform a variety of other vital functions:
Often the unsung heroes of transportation, maintenance workers also include cleaners, tire repairmen, service technicians, fuelers and other workers who keep our cities, streets, and highways moving. Hard at work out of the sight of most of the riding public, they are no less deserving of our respect and thanks for the work they do to get us where we are going.
Clerical, Dispatch, and Others
Many of our members don't work with vehicles at all. They are the clerical workers who make sure the work goes smoothly and the dispatchers who coordinate transit operations from fixed locations.
And there are even more kinds of ATU workers, including baggage handlers, emergency medical service personnel, ambulance operators, ferry operators, "incline" workers, and municipal workers. All contribute to the vital work of making our mass transit systems the success they are today.
Industries
Most ATU members from the professions above work in several different industries associated with transit:Public Transit
ATU's public transit workers form the backbone of our urban transportation systems in North America.
ATU is the largest labor union representing public transit workers in North America. Our 190,000 members are the most highly compensated and best trained in the industry, and have been for over 115 years.
Since ATU organized the first streetcar operators in 1892, we have worked to make the public transit safe and to ensure that our members are justly paid and fairly treated.
Public transit has played a vital role in North America's transformation to the world's industrial leader, and ATU members have been there from the beginning. In the largest metropolitan transit authorities and the smallest rural bus lines, ATU members keep North America moving forward.
Over-the-Road
Our "over-the-road" (OTR) members carry passengers across our countries working for companies such as Greyhound, Inc., and Peter Pan Lines. ATU's history in OTR, or inter-city, bus service began in 1934, when the first Greyhound employees were organized.
The first OTR group to vote for ATU representation was summarily terminated. This later became the first case argued in front of the newly-established U.S. National Labor Relations Board - which was decided in favor of the ATU. This led to an NLRB-directed election and the first contract between ATU and Greyhound. Today the ATU is still a strong force in the OTR bus industry. We are still battling to make sure the professionals who drive and service OTR buses are compensated justly, and that their rights are preserved.
School Bus
The ATU has been the union for school bus employees for over a century. We represent over 20,000 school bus drivers, mechanics, matrons, escorts and aides in the U.S. and Canada.
When it comes to transporting our most precious cargo, our children, the ATU has led the way in safety and security.
Today our school bus members enjoy the highest pay and benefits in the industry. And, the parents of our passengers enjoy the comfort of knowing a well-trained professional will be responsible for the safety and security of their children between home and school.
Paratransit
The ATU plays a leading role in an important civil rights issue: ensuring that seniors and persons with disabilities have access to high quality paratransit service.
The demands of a paratransit job are great. Often, in addition to driving, these members must act as caregivers and escorts for their passengers. They must have extraordinary patience and compassion. Physically, a paratransit operator may need to be strong enough to lift passengers into their seats, or even carry them. They must be able to focus on the road while attending to mentally-challenged individuals.
ATU members make it possible for many otherwise homebound persons to travel to work, school, medical appointments, shopping, etc. The transportation they provide reduces traffic congestion and makes our cities and communities more livable.