Madison Reporter

Many Madison Metro bus routes faced service disruptions due to a significant number of driver absences and refusal of overtime work. The City of Madison has acknowledged public statements regarding the disruptions, stating that some contain inaccurate information.

The city emphasized its commitment to supporting employees' rights and providing competitive wages and benefits. Negotiations with Teamsters Local 120, representing Metro bus drivers and mechanics, are ongoing. The city stated it is committed to good faith bargaining.

While specific negotiation terms remain confidential as required by law, the city noted that other represented units such as Police and Fire received a 3% wage increase in 2025. The city aims to ensure parity with other bargaining units and national comparables for Metro bus drivers' wages.

"We are disappointed that in the middle of bargaining, some Metro employees chose to take concerted action that disrupted a vital service that so many other working Madisonians depend on," said a statement from the city. "We apologize for the inconvenience that this has caused riders and will be looking at all avenues to ensure we maintain City transit service while we resolve this successfully."

Passengers are advised to check their trips using Metro's real-time information system. Metro also apologized for any inconvenience caused by these disruptions.