Viva buses rolling on Yonge again as YRT strike continues

Viva buses began rolling on Yonge Street again Friday as officials in York Region try to ease the impact of the 12-week transit strike on riders—a move a local MPP calls “offensive” and claims “does nothing to help commuters.”

Up to 10 articulated 18-metre-long buses are replacing the 12-metre-long York Region Transit (YRT) buses that had been running on Route 99, between Bernard Terminal in Richmond Hill and the Finch GO station. York Region officials believe the bigger buses will help ease congestion.

The bus operators are getting some help from driving instructors on board because they’re not used to operating the larger vehicles.

Newmarket-Aurora MPP Frank Klees said York Region’s attempt to help commuters is “offensive”.

“To put out a media release declaring that the Regional Municipality of York is ‘taking action to restore transit service’ is offensive and only serves to feed the cynicism that people have towards government,” Klees said in a statement.

“The fact is, that replacing a 40-foot YRT bus with a 60-foot bus between Bernard Terminal and the Finch GO Bus Terminal does nothing to help commuters in Newmarket and Aurora and anywhere else in York Region.”

Klees was one of three MPPs that proposed back-to-work legislation at Queen’s Park in November. York Region Council insists it won’t make a similar call and has reiterated its demand that the parties involved return to meaningful negotiations.

Viva buses are run by private contractor Veolia Transportation and its workers are represented by the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 113. Veolia employees, and workers from the two other private companies contracted to provide YRT service—Miller Transit and First Canada—walked off the job on Oct. 24.

Miller Transit and First Canada workers are represented by the ATU Local 1587.

The strike affects 60 per cent of YRT service and has inconvenienced about 44,000 people.

Veolia workers will vote on the latest contract offer on Tuesday. Last week, Miller Transit workers rejected that company’s latest offer in a vote supervised by the Ontario Labour Relations Board. First Canada employees are still waiting for a deal.

York Region officials claim they had to do something to ease congestion on Yonge Street considering there’s no movement in the stalemate on the horizon.

“Regional Council’s position remains the same – we will not intervene in negotiations, and will not request the Provincial Government to enact back-to-work legislation or support arbitration as a means to end the YRT/Viva strike. But we will not stand by and watch our riders continue to suffer due to the lack of regard the parties involved have for our transit-dependent residents,” York Region Chairman and CEO Bill Fisch said in a statement Thursday.

Klees claims Fisch is “out of touch” with York Region residents.

“What is needed is meaningful leadership to fully restore transit services in York Region,” he said.