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Central Contra Costa Transit Authority (CCCTA) has reached an agreement with the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), Local 1605, who voted 54% in favor of extending their contract with an economic package proposed by CCCTA.  

CCCTA’s Board of Directors has a long history of offering comparable packages to all of its labor partners. Upon receiving a request for an offer from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District Lodge No. 190 (IAM) the same offer was made to the other two unions, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (Teamsters) Local 856 and ATU, Local 1605. The ATU, Local 1605 received the offer on October 27th and members voted on December 20th. In order to expedite the process, the Board held a special meeting on December 21st to ratify the contract, which was set to expire on January 31, 2023. With the needed simple majority member approval, the contract is now extended through January 31, 2026. 

For the agreed upon terms, the ATU was offered the same contract as that of IAM and the Teamsters, with both approving the offer, unanimously, in November 2022. ATU members now have a 3-year extension package and a five percent (5%) raise in year one, which includes a includes a $2,500 tax-free payment up front. In year two, ATU members will receive an increase of four percent (4%), followed by three percent (3%) in the final year.

Chair of the Board, Amy Worth, said of the agreements, “The continued success of CCCTA depends on the stability, mutual understanding, and respect shared between its management and their represented labor partners. Now more than ever, the services offered to Central Contra Costa are crucial to the residents within the County Connection service area.” Worth added, “To have all three unions approve a 3-year contract well ahead of the contracts expiring, is heartening and tells me this public agency is on the right path forward and ensures continued service reliability for our residents.”

November 2022 – Central Contra Costa Transit Authority (CCCTA), the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District Lodge No. 190, and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (Teamsters) Local 856 approved extending existing work rules with an economic package proposed by CCCTA. 

Both unions approached the General Manager requesting contract extensions, well in advance of their respective contract term end date, to avoid unnecessary negotiations. Recognizing the long-standing positive working relationships between management and the unions, CCCTA’s Board of Directors approved a package that was unanimously accepted by all members of the IAM and Teamsters Unions.

For the terms, the Machinists and Teamsters agreed upon a 3-year extension package with a 3-month early adoption. Both unions accepted a five percent (5%) raise in year one, which includes a $2,500 tax-free payment up front. In year two, CCCTA offered to increase the wage rate for all Bargaining Unit Employees (represented the IAM and Teamsters) by four percent (4%). And in year three, CCCTA offered to increase the wage rate by three percent (3%). All other articles, sections, attachments, terms and provisions of the most recent Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) will remain in effect for the duration of the agreement. 

Bill Churchill, General Manager of CCCTA, affirmed, “I look forward to the fruitful collaboration with all of our labor partners, in the years to come.” Churchill, who presented the 3-year deal, added, “Together we will continue on the road to recovery and improve our communities.”

County Connection is conducting a survey through the month of September to find out more about your transit needs and rider experience.

Over the next few weeks, passengers on our routes may be asked to complete a quick survey to help us understand how our services are being used and where we can improve.

You can also fill out the survey online at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/cccta2022. Even if you’re not currently riding transit, we encourage you to complete the survey to help us plan for the future.

All responses are confidential. We appreciate your participation and input!

County Connection’s administrative offices, including the LINK Paratransit office, will reopen to the public starting Tuesday, September 6, 2022. Our offices will be open Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Masks are currently required while inside our offices.

Our Customer Service call center continues to be staffed during regular hours (Monday – Friday, 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM) and can be reached by phone at (925) 676-7500 or email at help@countyconnection.com.

We will also be continuing our mobile lobby and outreach events. Click here for a schedule of dates and locations.

Innovative approach for ADA qualified riders eliminates need for transfers.

LIVERMORE, CA – CONCORD, CA – The Boards of Directors of the Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority (Wheels) and the Central Contra Costa County Transit Authority (County Connection) have approved the consolidation of paratransit services previously operated independently by the two transit systems.  The innovative approach of this partnership will help increase agency productivity, improve service delivery, and enhance the customer experience, as evidenced by a recent customer satisfaction survey.  This agreement follows a successful pilot project to test the concept, called One-Seat Ride, which features regional collaboration between Wheels, County Connection, WestCat, and Tri-Delta Transit that was designed to address essential paratransit interagency travel during COVID-19 that took riders, within the four participating agencies’ areas of service, to their final destination with no transfers.

“This new partnership with County Connection goes way beyond the One-Seat concept,” said Alameda County Supervisor and LAVTA Board Chair David Haubert. “The 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) required cities to provide paratransit service for residents with disabilities, but provided no operating funds.  The consolidation of Wheels and County Connection paratransit services allows the agencies to more efficiently spend transportation funding dollars by sharing resources, while providing vital services to those riders unable to use a fixed-route service due to disabilities.”

Riders eligible for paratransit services under ADA will find using the newly consolidated Wheels and County Connection services streamlined by the availability of a smartphone app to make the transit network more accessible and allows passengers access to real-time information to track their ride, receive status notifications, cancel, and rate their ride.  Currently booking a paratransit trip remains through phone reservation systems, however, coming this winter, riders will be able to book trips online through the mobile app as well.

“As the population ages, more and more people rely on paratransit to get around,” said City of San Ramon Mayor and County Connection Board Chair Dave Hudson. “With the growing need, we have to be smart about how we provide these services. This paratransit consolidation enables Wheels and County Connection to offer better access to transportation, especially to destinations that cross the boundaries of the two agencies without riders having to get out of their seat to transfer between rides saving time and enhancing safety.”

The new consolidation of paratransit services is seamless to riders. Eligible people for paratransit services under the ADA, those unable to use regular buses and trains due to a disability or disabling health condition, can make reservations 1 to 7 days in advance through County Connection LINK (925) 938-RIDE (938-7433) and Wheels Dial-A-Ride: (925) 455-7510.  Rides are door-to-door and the costs to use the paratransit services are calculated by the reservationist at the time of booking.  One-Seat Rides will continue to be available through the (925) 680-2134 reservation line.

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About County Connection

County Connection operates fixed-route and paratransit bus service throughout the communities of Concord, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Walnut Creek, Clayton, Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga, Danville, San Ramon, as well as unincorporated communities in Central Contra Costa County. In 2022, County Connection received the Outstanding Paratransit Program Award from the California Association for Coordinated Transportation (CalACT).

For more information, visit countyconnection.com or call Customer Service at (925) 676-7500.

About the Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority

The Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority (LAVTA) was created in 1985 by the cities of Dublin, Livermore and Pleasanton and Alameda County to serve area transit needs. In 2018 and 2019, LAVTA was named Transit Agency of the Year by the California Transit Association and the California Association for Coordinated Transportation, respectively. In 2020, LAVTA was named the top transit agency of its size in North America by the American Public Transportation Association.

LAVTA supports environmental sustainability by reducing vehicle trips and traffic congestion on local streets and improving air quality in the Tri-Valley region. In addition to passenger fares, the agency is supported financially by federal, state and local agencies, including the Alameda County Transportation Commission’s Measure B and BB.

Follow LAVTA on Facebook at facebook.com/wheelsbus and on Twitter @wheelsbus or visit our website wheelsbus.com for more information on Wheels and Rapid bus services, our Dial-A-Ride paratransit service as well as our Go Tri-Valley promotion with Uber and Lyft.