Few professions carry the weight of responsibility as a bus, van or light rail operator.  Millions of commuters, tourists and children put their faith, and lives, in the hands of someone that is usually a stranger to them.  Operators accept this burden willingly and with a level of professionalism parallel to any other public servant.  The safety and security of the riding public, along with the pedestrians and other vehicles who compete for road space, has long been a concern of operators who navigate our streets.  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 what so many others take for granted.

The ATU was the first, and today is the largest, union for transit operators.  For over 115 years the ATU has battled for the rights of transit operators, first for enclosed vestibules and today for the continuation of rights and privileges that our predecessors earned with their sacrifices and tireless pro-union spirit.

Operators, and as a result passengers, all over the world have benefited from the fight for better training and compensation that ATU members have waged since our inception.  The ATU was there to set industry standards on safety, security, training and licensing, and now works to make sure management takes this responsibility as seriously as our operators do.