Transit, Belabored: Issues and Futures for California’s Frontline Transit Workforce

Transit, Belabored: Issues and Futures for California’s Frontline Transit Workforce

Institute of Transportation Studies

February 2024

This report focuses on frontline transit workforce issues, including employee pay, issues before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, and the workforce shortage. The report is mainly about transit operators, but also touches on mechanics. It draws on quantitative and qualitative data, including wage data by agency and sector, contracts and agency documents, and interviews with union leaders, agency managers, and operators themselves.