Fairfax Connector To Operate Limited Service As Strike Continues

The strike by the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1764 that started early Thursday morning continues into Friday, and as a result the Fairfax Connector will have to operate on limited Sunday service throughout the day, Fairfax County said in a statement.

The contract between ATU Local 1764, which represents bus drivers and mechanics, and Transdev, the contracted bus operator, expired back on Nov. 30.

"As a result of the job action, Transdev does not expect all drivers represented by ATU Local 1764 to report for work on Friday, Dec. 6, 2019, and bus service will be operated by a limited number of available personnel," the statement reads. "The decision was made to operate a limited Sunday service instead of a weekday schedule because that is believed to be the maximum level of reliable bus service that can be provided under the current circumstances."

The following routes will operate on a Sunday service schedule: 151, 171, 310, 321, 322, 401, 402, 630, 640, 650, 950, 981, 983, RIBS1, RIBS 3. If a route is not listed, it will not operate at all on Friday.

"We appreciate our passengers’ patience as Transdev and ATU are continuing to negotiate a new contract," the county stated. "Until an agreement is reached, Fairfax County will continue to update Fairfax Connector customers with operating status on a regular basis."

The county advises passengers to stay informed of Fairfax Connector operating status by calling customer service at 703-339-7200 or signing up for text or email alerts. You can also follow Fairfax Connector on Twitter or Facebook for updates.

"Passengers affected by these service changes may want to consider alternate ways to travel, such as carpooling, taking Metrobus, Metrorail, or Virginia Railway Express (VRE) service, or biking, walking, and teleworking," the statement adds. "There are more than 4,000 available parking spaces at park-and-ride facilities across Fairfax County with access to express lanes, VRE and ridesharing."