ART bus

Changes Coming to Some ART Routes on Monday

By ARLnow.com

Changes are coming to four Arlington Transit bus routes, starting Monday.

The changes, which affect ART 41, 45, 51 and 52, “will allow ART to serve more residents and also keep buses running more smoothly and on time,” according to the transit agency.

The changes include:

  • ART 41 — New schedule with additional weekday trip and weekend service starting earlier, running more frequently and ending later.
  • ART 45 — Route extended west to serve Columbia Heights West neighborhood. Will run through Lyon Park to the Court House Metro before reaching Rosslyn. Times adjusted.
  • ART 51 — Route will now run along Washington Boulevard in Waycroft-Woodlawn. Times adjusted.
  • ART 52 — Route will now run along 16th Street North in Waycroft-Woodlawn. Weekday service will start earlier. Times adjusted to better meet Yorktown High School bell. Evening departure times from East Falls Church Metro adjusted.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Noise Monitoring at DCA — A company has been hired to measure noise levels around Reagan National Airport. The information gathered will be used to figure out “ways to control or reduce noise pollution.” [NBC Washington]

Bus Stop Decorated — A local ART bus stop has been “yarn bombed.” [Facebook]

Local Newspaper CEO Pleads Guilty — The president and CEO of Connection Newspapers, which publishes the Arlington Connection weekly, has pleaded guilty to failing to pay more than $940,000 in federal payroll taxes. [Washington Examiner]

Flickr pool photo by Mark C. White

Striking ART Bus Drivers Fired, County Reacts

By ARLnow.com

County transit contractor Forsythe Transportation has fired 35 ART bus drivers who went on strike to protest alleged sexual harassment and other grievances.

In a statement, Forsythe said the drivers were fired for violating a clause in their contract that prevented them from striking unless the company violated terms of an arbitration.

“We knew that this could happen, but we were surprised by the number of terminations,” Arlington County Transit Bureau Chief Stephen Del Giudice told ARLnow.com. “It’s a regrettable situation all the way around… It’s regrettable that drivers took the job action, and its regrettable that Forsythe felt the need to terminate the employees.”

Del Giudice said that the county was “not a party to the contract between Forsythe and its drivers” and therefore was limited in terms of what it could do to help resolve the conflict.

“It would be inappropriate for us to interfere in their labor relations,” he said.

The initial service disruption caused by the sudden strike last Monday was quickly resolved as Forsythe managers stepped in to handle the routes of striking drivers. The company then went on a hiring spree to fill the bus driver positions left vacant by the strike. Full service was restored by Friday, Del Giudice said.

One of the new drivers was involved in a minor accident yesterday, but Del Giudice said that the new hires are all licensed and experienced bus drivers who have been drug tested and “given training in Forsythe’s operating procedures and our [ART] routes.”

“We’re going to continue to insist on Forsythe providing the highest standard of safe and reliable service for our customers,” Del Giudice said.

Bus Accident Shuts Down Street Near Hospital

By ARLnow.com

An accident reportedly involving two buses has shut down a street near Virginia Hospital Center.

16th Street N. has been temporarily shut down between George Mason Drive and N. Edison Street due to an accident reportedly involving an ART bus and a school bus.

There were no reports of injuries. No word on whether there were passengers on either bus at the time of the accident.

Update at 5:35 p.m. — The accident involved a newly-hired ART bus driver but only resulted in minor damage to bus mirrors, Arlington County Transit Bureau Chief Stephen Del Giudice confirms. Del Giudice says he believes that the ART bus had passengers on board at the time of the accident, but no injuries were reported. The school bus did not have passengers on board, he said.

Del Giudice said that police closed the road immediately following the accident for a reason unrelated to the accident. He was unable to elaborate on what that reason was.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Bomb Threat on DCA Flight — There were some tense moments at Reagan National Airport yesterday after a flight from Dayton, Ohio was sequestered and searched for explosives. Nothing was found, however. An individual who made a bomb threat at the Dayton airport ticket counter was taken into custody, the FBI said. [Bloomberg]

New Principals Named — Arlington Public Schools have named two new principals. Kenwyn Schaffner has been named the principal of Jamestown Elementary School and Bridget Loft has been named the principal of Swanson Middle School. “Ms. Loft was greeted by cheers and a standing ovation when she was introduced to the Swanson staff after the announcement of appointment,” an insider tells us. [Arlington Public Schools]

Rousselot Endorses Areizaga-Soto — Former Arlington County Democratic Committee Chair Peter Rousselot has endorsed Jaime Areizaga-Soto in his primary battle against Arlington County Board member Barbara Favola for state Senate. [JaimeForSenate.com]

ART Drivers File Human Rights Complaint — Striking Arlington Transit bus drivers have filed a complaint with the Arlington Human Rights Commission, claiming “ongoing sexual harassment from county contractor Forsythe Transportation.” [Washington Examiner]

Jogging With Grassley — Part-time Arlington resident Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) recently went jogging through his neighborhood with 15 young constituents who were in town for the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour. [ECT.coop]

Flickr pool photo by Christaki

Board: ART Labor Dispute “Must Be Resolved”

By ARLnow.com

County Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman says that the labor dispute between a group of unionized drivers and Arlington Transit contractor Forsythe Transportation “must be resolved, immediately.”

In a statement on behalf of the rest of the board, Zimmerman said that the ART bus drivers’ concerns — about sexual harassment and the disciplining of a union leader — “need to be taken seriously.”

Here’s Zimmerman’s full statement.

Since Monday a dispute between the management of Forsythe Transportation, with whom Arlington contracts to operate the County’s ART bus service, and bus drivers represented by American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Local 3001, has resulted in service disruptions and a significant reduction of service on many ART routes. This situation is simply unacceptable.

Drivers have expressed concerns that need to be taken seriously, including allegations of sexual harassment, and the improper disciplining of a union representative. As this is a labor relations issue between a private company and its workers, Arlington County has no authority to intervene in this matter. However, we call on both parties to work together to resolve the issues and quickly restore full bus service for ART patrons. We urge both sides to utilize all available legal mechanisms to work toward resolution of the issues, including mediation services (such as the Northern Virginia Mediation Service affiliated with George Mason University).

It is critical to move expeditiously to resolve these issues and restore bus service at normal levels. We call for an immediate agreement between management and labor that will provide for the prompt restoration of service and an impartial investigation of worker’s concerns and a fair mediation of the matters in dispute.

Since its inception just over a decade ago, ART has been a steadily growing service, now carrying more than 2 million riders per year. It is increasingly important to the achievement of key goals of this community, including improving quality of life by offering more transportation choices, attaining a range of environmental objectives, reducing traffic congestion, and contributing to the vitality of business. It must continue to be reliable. The current dispute must be resolved, immediately.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Ducklings Rescued from Storm Drain — Hanging upside down in a storm drain, an Arlington animal control officer managed to save nine ducklings that had become trapped in a tunnel. The ducklings and their mother were reunited and brought to the nearby Roaches Run Waterfowl Sanctuary. [Animal Watch]

ART 45 Bus Route Expanding — The ART 45 bus route is expanding. It will now run farther down Columbia Pike while at the same time adding a stop at the Courthouse Metro station en route to Rosslyn. [Arlington Transit]

Arlington Schools Spend More Per Pupil — Arlington Public Schools spend 86 percent more per pupil than the national average, according to new Census figures. Arlington spends $19,538 per pupil, while the national average sits at $10,499. [Sun Gazette]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Contractor Says ART Drivers Weren’t Fired — The contractor that operates the Arlington Transit bus service says 23 striking drivers were suspended pending an investigation, not fired, as the drivers claim. ART reports that it is operating this morning with minimal delays on most bus lines. [Washington Post, Arlington Transit]

No Republicans Stepping Up for Board Race — County Board incumbents Mary Hynes and Walter Tejada are still without a Republican challenger. Today is the local GOP’s self-imposed deadline to find a candidate for the race. [Washington Examiner]

Activist Wants to Make Board Race About Libraries — Local activist Shelley Wade has one goal this fall: to make sure Walter Tejada gets slightly more votes than Mary Hynes. Wade is waging her one-woman campaign to draw attention to the fact that the Board only approved a partial restoration of library hours this year (effective July 5), rather than the full restoration she was hoping for. [Sun Gazette]

Man Wanted in Arlington Arrested After Chase — A man wanted for property crimes in Arlington has been arrested after a wild police chase that started in Loudoun County and ended with a three-car crash in West Virginia. [WJLA]

Shelves Stocked at New Pike Giant — The shelves of the new Giant on Columbia Pike have been stocked. The store has a grand opening set for Friday, June 24th, but may quietly open its doors before that date. [Pike Wire]

Flickr pool photo by Philliefan99

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Striking ART Drivers Fired — The Examiner’s Liz Essley reports that the Arlington Transit bus drivers who went on strike yesterday have been fired by Forsythe Transportation, the contractor that operates ART buses. The paper also reports that the labor dispute came to a head when Forsythe fired the head of the bus drivers union last week. ART buses are operating on a reduced frequency schedule today, with all routes in service except the 61B route. [Washington Examiner, Arlington Transit]

Airport Uniforms Found in Ballston — Three pairs of airport employee uniforms and a Washington Reagan Airport safety vest have been found in the bushes outside Carpool restaurant in Ballston (4000 Fairfax Drive). The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority and Arlington police are investigating how the uniforms wound up there. [WJLA]

Arlington Mill Construction Contract Awarded — Construction on the new Arlington Mill Community Center is scheduled to begin in August, after the County Board awarded a $27.6 million construction contract for the project over the weekend. “Redeveloping the old Arlington Mill Community Center site into a mixed-used facility with a new community center, gymnasium, retail space and a parking garage is part of the County’s efforts to foster a vibrant, walkable urban village along Columbia Pike,” the county said in a press release. [Arlington County]

Goodbye, Hollywood Video — A shuttered Hollywood Video store and a small office building along Wilson Boulevard are set for demolition this month. The buildings are being razed to make way for a 191-unit apartment complex, which will include a parking garage and ground-level retail space. [Washington Business Journal]

UPDATED: Delays on All ART Bus Routes

By ARLnow.com

Update at 4:15 p.m. — All evening ART routes are in operation tonight except the 61B. However, many routes will operate less frequently than usual. See the ART web site for more information. Arlington officials say that about 23 bus drivers did not report to work today.

Update at 8:45 a.m. — We’re told via Twitter and email that drivers are striking near the Courthouse Metro station.

Arlington Transit bus riders are being told to “expect delays on all routes” this morning.

The agency says the delays are “due to circumstances beyond our control.” ARLnow.com hears that bus drivers have called in sick en masse due to a wage labor dispute.

ART is also advising that the 61B bus is not in service, and that riders should use the 61A instead.

The Sun Gazette reported over the weekend that the County Board discussed “management-labor issues with the contractor that runs the Arlington Transit (ART) bus service.” Sun Gazette editor Scott McCaffrey described the discussion as a “pander-a-thon” in favor of the bus drivers, who are paid less than their counterparts at Metro.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Civil War ‘History Mobile’ Coming to Arlington — A tractor trailer turned mobile history museum will be visiting Arlington several times this summer, as part of commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. The History Mobile’s exhibits “look at the war through the eyes of civilians, slaves and soldiers.” [Sun Gazette]

ART Contractor Wins Safety Award — The contractor that operates Arlington Transit (ART) buses won a top safety award on Sunday. The company, Forsythe Transportation, helped reduce safety complaints on ART by 58 percent in one year, according to a county press release. [Arlington County]

Pentagon City Casting Call for Kid Singers — Organizers of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic — held later this summer in D.C. — are looking for kids between the ages of 6 and 12 to sing the National Anthem prior to featured tennis matches. A casting call will be held at the Pentagon City mall from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 4. Multiple winners will be selected. [Legg Mason Tennis Classic]

Flickr pool photo by Mark C. White

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