After thousands of bus cancellations, city, union want to tackle chronic absenteeism

Soon, Fresno city management and the bus drivers union will start negotiations for a new contract. Absenteeism will be one of the key items up for discussion.

Absenteeism — planned days off and no-shows — have forced the city to cancel routes. The issue came up during budget hearings last month.

Some say the current policy spelled out in the union contract is extreme, allowing 10 unexcused driver absences before termination. On Memorial Day, for example, nearly half of drivers scheduled did not work , causing route cancellations, the city said.

“When bus routes get canceled, you end up having an impact on people that are trying to either get to school or get to work or go to a doctor’s appointment” Mayor Jerry Dyer told The Fresno Bee in a recent interview.

Alfredo Molina, the president of the local union, says he is open to fixing the absenteeism problem, but the city has to do its part.

Despite a hiccup last year, labor relations between the city and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1027 has been relatively peaceful. The two sides agreed to a one-year contract last year, that saw the city file and withdraw an unfair labor relation complaint. The current contract expires Dec. 13.

In Fiscal Year 2026, which ended June 30, the city canceled 7,594 routes, a 73% increase over FY 2025. The figure is down 55% from a six-year peak of 16,862 in FY 2022.

The city’s transportation department reported a 25% absenteeism rate for the last year.

Scheduling the drivers

Every day, the city has about 150 drivers with regular routes. There are also 60 unassigned drivers — backups — who will fill in shifts for drivers who are absent, whether it be for vacations, sick days or no-shows. More than 50 drivers are currently on long-term leave, city transportation director Greg Barfield said. That means most of the “extra board” drivers will find work.

The city has a backup, backup plan when all the extra board drivers are used — calling from a volunteer list or forcing drivers to work. If shortages remain, routes get canceled Barfield said.

Last month, Barfield told the city council during budget hearings that 48.9% of drivers failed to show on Memorial Day — for both planned and unplanned absences — causing several route cancellations.

“That is a lot of impacted service,” Barfield said on June 11.

Molina, the union president, said Barfield missed an opportunity.

“I feel that it wasn’t framed right, and I think that maybe he took the easy way out, and it’s easy to just kind of pass the buck,” Molina said. “Our members would be at work more, if the environment was right, if the morale was a little better, if the equipment was doing better.”

Barfield said the city is now looking into patterns of why bus drivers may call out sick such as if there is a particular day. He wants to establish an absentee committee in the next union contract.

Molina was not opposed.

“The fact that we have the willingness to sit down and have absenteeism committees and speak with the department to see how we can better collaborate to help the situation, I think says a lot from both sides,” Molina said.

Hiring more drivers, Barfield said, is not the answer, even though the city continues to train new drivers.

“Because when you hire too many drivers, then you have folks who don’t have work. We have to keep that delicate balance,” Barfield said.

The solution, Barfield said, is finding a better scheduling plan. He and Molina talked about a split extra board, with half the fill-in driver working morning shifts, and half working in the afternoon.

Unexcused absences

Another revelation during last month’s budget hearings is the discipline for no-show drivers — failing to call in about an absence at least 30 minutes in advance.

According to the union contract, there is no discipline for the first three incidents. Penalties escalate to written reprimands, fines or suspension, and on the 10th incident — termination.

“It may sound excessive, but what they’re not telling you is that there are a lot of other departments that don’t have any parameters at all,” Molina said. “We decided to keep the policy because at least we know what’s to be expected.”

Molina said the 10 chances policy has been in the contract for years. Several driver unions throughout the state have similar language.

Speaking to The Bee, Barfield downplayed unexcused absences as the problem of canceling routes. He said it not having enough backup drivers to fill-in both execused and unexecused days off.

Any adjustments to the discipline policy must be negotiated with the union, a “give and take,” Barfield says.

“Every time we have contract negotiations, we will bring forth solutions to make this a better work environment, not only for us as the employer but also for the employees, so we continue to whittle at absenteeism,” Barfield said.

Said Councilmember Miguel Arias at last month’s hearings: “The public ultimately feels the cancellation of routes, and the public is angered at us for not being able to get to work.”

City Manager Georgeanne White said FAX, the city’s bus service has the most disciplinary marks of any department. She expressed frustration during the hearing. She wants to negotiate better policies on absenteeism.

Campaign contributions

ATU Local 1027 often contributes to candidates running for city council. In the current election cycle, the union contributed $1,000 for Joaquin Arambula, running in District 3; $500 to Ariana Martinez Lott (District 7); and $100 each to Rob Fuentes (District 1) and Nav Gurm (District 7).

Other current elected leaders who have received ATU contributions include Dyer, and councilmembers Tyler Maxwell, Annalisa Perea and Mike Karbassi.

“When we make political contributions, I would hope that just as we help them during their campaigns, that ... they would take the time to really look at things and understand how it will affect our membership,” Molina said.

One goal, Molina said, is for city councilmembers to “return our phone calls.”