27 new operators are about to take to the streets, helping VTA fill a critical shortage of operators over the past 2 years.  With a national labor shortage taking shape since the start of the COVID pandemic, VTA is not alone in looking for more people to hire.  Transit service affected during the height of the pandemic is building back little by little, but service frequencies will not back to normal until enough operators can be hired to fill close to 70 vacancies.

In keeping with an agency goal to hire more women in non-traditional jobs, 12 women joined the agency as bus operators in the past two trainee graduating classes.

Bus operator is an entry level position with a starting salary of $42,000, no prior experience necessary, training is provided, with an opportunity to earn up to $70,000 after four years.  VTA also offers generous benefit packages, as operators are members of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 265.  As part of VTA training programs, operators are paired with mentors through the Joint Workforce Investment program, a collaboration between ATU and VTA, which helps new employees successfully navigate the job and helps provide upward mobility within the agency.

 Anyone interested in applying at VTA can find an application here.