Sun Tran drivers have averted a strike after Teamsters Local 104 members voted Sunday to approve a three-year contract that delivers what the union called the most significant operator safety improvements in its history of bargaining with the transit agency.

The July 12 vote ended months of negotiations that centered on concerns about safety and wage increases.

Seventy-five percent of union members who voted supported the agreement. Sun Tran, which employed 579 people in 2025, reported that year it operated 36 routes covering more than 8.2 million service miles and 633,000 service hours.

Sun Tran crafted the agreement following a failed attempt to reach an agreement by June 30, presenting it to employees at union meetings on July 11 and 12 and calling it the "last, best and final" offer for a contract.

"For years, we have raised concerns regarding safety conditions throughout the transit system," Teamsters Local Union 104 said in a Sunday statement on social media. "Those concerns too often have gone unheard, been dismissed, minimized, and failed to result in any meaningful action. Today, we have secured all bargainable safety improvements."

The union said the agreement includes enhanced driver protection barriers for every bus in Sun Tran's fleet, with built-in installation deadlines.

It also allows bus operators to intervene during incidents affecting safety, including intimidation, threats or violence; ensures enforcement and security personnel are present during operational hours; establishes a new emergency alarm and radio communication system for buses; expands safety training for employees; and provides counseling and trauma services for those affected by public safety threats.

Sun Tran averts strike as Tucson rolls out safety plan

Sun Tran avoided a strike after its contract expired June 30 without a deal, as Tucson moves forward with a $2.15 million transit safety plan funded by the voter-approved RTA Next measure.

Tucson SpotlightIan Stash

The agreement also includes changes to employee pay and retirement benefits, along with an expanded right for the union to review the development and deployment of safety efforts.

The union said this will bring transparency to data on violence and illegal substance exposure, creating accountability and ensuring decisions are driven by data.

“As we move forward, the safety of our employees and the public remains our highest priority,” Sun Tran General Manager C. Mikel Oglesby said in a statement. “We are committed to providing safe, reliable, and dependable transportation every day while continuing to serve the Tucson community with service excellence.”

Mayor Regina Romero expressed her happiness with the deal in a statement, supporting the increased driver safety measures, wage increases and the addition of benefits that she felt were reasonable and achievable for the city while also keeping route services running.

"This resolution is a testament to what is possible when we put our resources where they matter most: safety for our operators, passengers, wage increases the city budget can afford, and food benefits for Sun Tran employees," she said in the statement.

Teamsters Local Union 104 advocated for operator safety during the drafting of the city council's transit safety and security plan, released in December.

Tucson's Department of Transportation and Mobility met with the union in October to discuss safety concerns on public transit and to help shape the transit safety plan. Union representatives reportedly proposed several suggestions to improve driver safety, including panic buttons, code words and radio systems, the last of which was incorporated into the July 12 contract offer.

Additional union feedback included concerns about open-air drug use, a lack of deterrence methods for repeat offenders, and the need for clear signage to inform drivers and passengers about safety guidelines.

Those concerns shaped the union's recommendations for better infrastructure, enforcement and response capacity, and they continue to inform the broader discussion of public safety on Tucson's transit system.

Ian Stash is University of Arizona alum and freelance journalist in Tucson. Contact him at ianjgs16@gmail.com.

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