Voters in Columbus, Ohio voted this week to massively expand bus service and install bus rapid transit – a major win for Transport Workers Union Local 208, which represents workers at the Central Ohio Transit Authority, or COTA.
TWU Local 208 actively campaigned for the ballot measure, which passed with nearly 57% support, knocking on doors and mustering support from local elected officials.
“Local 208 fought hard for this transit funding,” said TWU Local 208 President Jarvis Williams. “Our members knocked on doors and did the campaigning needed to educate voters on the importance of increasing bus service and the benefits bus rapid transit will bring to Columbus. This successful ballot measure will bring more good-paying union jobs to Ohio and improve the quality of life for everyone in Central Ohio.”
The successful ballot measure means there will be more Bus Operators, Mechanics and support staff to operate additional bus routes and new bus rapid transit lanes where buses will have exclusive use of lanes and dedicated platforms for passengers. Local 234 currently represents 834 workers, and the new ballot measure ensures that number will grow.
“Local 208 did amazing work to campaign for a successful ballot measure that brings better transit and more jobs to Central Ohio,” said TWU International President John Samuelsen. “This successful fight builds on our recent contract victory in Columbus, where the TWU secured unprecedented contract language giving us veto power over the deployment of autonomous buses.”
Last year, the TWU secured first-of-its kind contract language that gives Local 208 the ability to block the deployment of autonomous buses and stipulates that Bus Operators and Mechanics cannot be laid off or have their wages cut due to new technology.
“This is a big win for Local 208,” said TWU International Administrative Vice President Curtis Tate. “They did the hard work of knocking on doors to educate voters on the importance of increasing bus service – and TWU members along with the traveling public in Central Ohio will benefit.”
Central Ohio voters in Columbus and surrounding counties voted to permanently renew a 0.25% sales tax and add another 0.5% sales tax – which COTA estimates will bring in $6.2 billion by 2050. The $6.2 billion in additional transit revenue makes the Ohio ballot initiative the largest transit-related funding increase in the country that was approved by voters on Election Day.
The funds will be used to implement rapid bus service, known as LinkUS, and expand existing bus service by 45%. The tax will also fund improvements to sidewalks, bike paths, and trails. The LinkUS plan currently calls for five rapid transit lines, with at least three already planned for rapid bus service. Bus service would expand to midnight in 2025 and eventually run 24 hours a day on some lines.