Bus drivers with the Vineyard Transit Authority could walk off the job as early as this weekend after turning down management’s latest contract offer.
The Amalgamated Transit Union, which represents 32 bus drivers for the authority, voted last Thursday to authorize the strike after spurning the offer due to disagreements over pay and benefits.
The union did not have a firm schedule on a strike as of Wednesday, but said that it could start one after July 31. Union president Charles Ryan announced the vote last Friday, and called the latest offer from Transit Connection Inc., the company that runs the bus service across the Island, a joke.
Wages were far too low to keep drivers on the 14 Island routes, Mr. Ryan said, and this has forced the union to take the same step it did seven years ago when there was a 28-day strike.
“It is unfortunate that we must take this approach and go out on strike,” he said. “Like it was back in 2019 when we had to take a similar type of action, the administrator, Angela Gompert, is forcing the drivers to take a stand and fight for a fair living wage on the Island.”
The VTA is a vital service for thousands of Islanders and tourists, especially in the summer as so many seasonal employees take the buses to work. During the fiscal year 2025, the service carried 1.1 million passengers.
Ms. Gompert and VTA advisory board chair Elaine Miller said they were not notified of the union vote before a statement from the union was released to the press.
“This lack of direct communication is disappointing and unprofessional,” Ms. Gompert told the Gazette.
According to documents shared by the union with the Gazette, management’s proposal had bus driver hourly wages topping out at $33 an hour in 2026. That ceiling would increase by a dollar in December and then annually through 2028, ending at $36 an hour.
The bottom of the wage scale was reserved for first-year drivers, and would run from $29 in 2026 to $32 in 2028 under management’s proposal.
The union’s offer included top wages of $33.92 in 2026 and $38.12 in 2028, according to the shared documents. The lower end of the scale would range from $29.68 in 2026 to $33.35 in 2028.
“It is extremely difficult to hire drivers on the Island when you’re only willing to pay them $33 an hour to start,” Mr. Ryan said.
Ms. Gompert said the wage increase presented by Transit Connection, Inc. included “meaningful and competitive” wage increases averaging approximately 13.5 per cent over three years.
The union was also upset with vacation days and holidays. The union had asked for nine holidays. That tally included two new holidays: Memorial Day and Independence Day.
Management’s offer included eight holidays, with the option of swapping Indigenous Peoples Day in favor of a personal day, according to the documents.
Ms. Gompert said the union’s requests were not feasible for the service.
“The union’s demands, including higher wage scales and expanded benefits such as three additional holidays during our peak season, would impose costs that are not financially sustainable for the VTA or its funding partners,” she said. “As a publicly funded system, the authority must balance fair and competitive wages with its responsibility to maintain reliable service for the Island community.”
During the 2019 strike, which started in June and ran into July, Transit Connection, Inc. hired temporary drivers to keep the bus routes running.
Mr. Ryan said the union drivers voted overwhelmingly to reject the latest proposal; he also complained that Ms. Gompert’s salary of $193,966 was too high.
“She is getting incredible raises and these drivers are getting nothing,” he said.
The union is planning to approach Gov. Maura Healey on the issue and Mr. Ryan said union strike staff were assembling and will be ready to set up picket lines as soon as he gives the go-ahead.
Mr. Ryan said he didn’t think any drivers would be willing to talk to the Gazette for fear of retaliation. Transit Connection, Inc. had not reached out to the union as of Tuesday to schedule further negotiations, he added.
Mr. Ryan apologized for the inconvenience that this could cause the thousands of Islanders and visitors who ride the buses.
“I urge every resident on the Island to reach out to the VTA advisory board and have them do their job by whatever means it takes to get the VTA back to the table and negotiate a fair contract for all so we can get back to providing exceptional transit service for all,” he said.
This article appears in July 31, 2026.
Give the drivers the pay raise they ask for! They carry extreme responsibility in difficult conditions. They should be making a competitive wage, no doubt about it. Also, could the VTA add a tip jar on each bus? Since the transportation service is free, I’m sure passengers would happily contribute, and that would boost the drivers’ take-home too. Make this a job that attracts the very best!
I appreciate the VTA, the driving is extremely difficult on this island. That being said, stop with the tip jar nonsense, please. Tipping culture is way out of line these days. Pay people a wage commensurate with the job and the expertise of the people involved. Soon tips will be required at a crematorium, for goodness sake. Enough, already.
These wages are far less than comparable wages on island. Currently school bus drivers in the summer make close to $56 an hour. During the school year it’s $48 . Plus they enjoy awesome benefits including amazing health and dental insurance and a pension. The VTA doesn’t actually employ any drivers, it’s farmed out to Transit Connection , Inc. A Florida based company which has no connection to the island. I’m not a big union fan but in this case the strike is warranted.
Cape Cod Regional Transit (CCRTA): General transit and van drivers earn an average of $19.80 to $28.00 per hour
Vineyard Transit Authority (VTA) pay rates start at $27.00 per hour for standard bus and van operators, with specific roles like paratransit starting around $28.00 per hour and maintenance technicians ranging from $25.00 to $30.00 per hour.
School bus and transit driver pay rates on Martha’s Vineyard generally range from $21.25 to $32.52 per hour, with local averages centering around $25.00 to $27.00 per hour depending on the specific route, contractor.
Transit Connection, Inc. A Florida based company provides employment services to the VTA.
Would it be cheaper for the VTA to provide those services in house?
Are you a fan of the SSA union?
Your facts are just incorrect. The wage range is between $42.59 up to $50.60 with a Summer differential of an additional $7.50 per hour. Most current drivers are on step 6 which pays $48.16 during the school year and an additional $7.50 an hour for summer work. There’s a minimum of 3 weeks paid vacation and 13 paid holidays. Trust me TCI will never pay a fair wage.
The CCRTA drivers starting pay is $31.00 for all drivers. After 91 days of employment the wage goes to over $38.00/hr. State law prevents the VTA from providing services in house.
Nothing good comes out of Florida these days. Hirer local people and pay them well. The drivers cannot live on this island with this very low wage.
Stop operating for free!
Try a novel concept like charging a fare to ride the bus. Then use that cash flow to increase pay. Problem solved.
Will that impact ridership?
Parking?
Traffic.
Nothing is free.
Yes, Hoboken does have free local shuttle buses called The HOP. They provide free rides across the city and connect neighborhoods to the Hoboken Terminal.
Good for Hoboken but not good for the Island?
No, not good for Hoboken, a town where property taxes are drastically out of control and just went up by another 12%. We own a home here that is half the value of our Edgartown home and pay taxes that are more than 5 times greater. Funny how “free” things somehow have a cost.
I am a regular VTA rider and appreciate the drivers’ kind and professional work. On an island with a lot of money sloshing around, it’s a shame that they haven’t been able to reach agreement. The differences in pay seem modest, which makes me suspect this is an issue around working conditions and respect from management.
At the time of the strike in 2019, word was that the VTA board was highly dysfunctional, and the Gazette should probably investigate those dynamics now.
How about starting with a voluntary payment at a “suggested amount”. Must make it easy to pay via phone. This system works well at the Met Museum in NYC. I think everyone will be surprised at how much this will yield. $4 a ride?
I guess im glad I didnt give up my car.