Bus and light rail service in San Jose has come to a halt as Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) workers have been on strike since March 10. 

Representing over 1,500 VTA workers, the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265 (ATU) is calling for a 6% pay raise over three years, or 18% total, and additional contract resolution language. The VTA initially offered a 9% total raise over the next three years with no additional contract resolution language, then updated its offer to a 10.5% total raise. 

For students like sophomore Aniyah Jackson Fonseca, the pause in bus service has made getting around much harder. Now, she must ask her parents and friends for a ride or walk to and from school. Especially on early release days, Fonseca’s mom must reschedule her work and school schedule to drive her to school.

“[The strike] makes it harder because by the time I’m at school, my mom is also getting ready to go to school,” Fonseca said. “Occasionally she’s late [and] she has to redo the days [and classes] she missed.”

Junior Saul Mendoza, who lives farther away from Branham, used to take the bus home. Now, he must wait at school until 5 p.m. everyday to be picked up.

“I see where they’re coming from, but I’d like to be able to get home at a normal time again,” Mendoza said.

Junior Pranay Duggirala, a middle college student, relied on VTA buses to get to and from school at West Valley College. Now, since he doesn’t have his driver’s license, he must rely on his parents to drop him off and pick him up. While getting rides from his parents is faster than taking a bus, it’s inconvenient since his parents have to work and participate in meetings.

“My worry is so many people are impacted, [so] more will move away from [public] transportation to driving,” Duggirala said, adding that a decrease in ridership coupled with an increase in wages would not be good for the VTA.

The VTA unsuccessfully tried to end the strike earlier this week by appealing to Governor Gavin Newsom and the courts for a fact-finding investigation and temporary injunction against the union.

A court hearing will be held on March 26.

Reporting by Elliott Yau and Noa Muyal