Our Work

The Amalgamated Transit Union – the largest labor union representing transit and allied workers in the U.S. and Canada – fights for the interests of its hard-working members and promotes mass transit.

Founded in 1892, the ATU today is comprised of over 200,000 members, including: metropolitan, interstate, and school bus drivers; paratransit, light rail, subway, streetcar, and ferry boat operators; mechanics and other maintenance workers; clerks, baggage handlers, municipal employees, and others. ATU can be found in 44 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, and nine Canadian provinces.

The Union fights for transit workers by helping them organize local unions, negotiating collective bargaining contracts between its members and their employers, representing members in disputes with management, and making sure that employers adhere to the provisions of their collective bargaining agreement.

The Union also represents the interests of its members at all levels of government, in courts, and in legislatures. ATU is a member the AFL-CIO, and the CLC – the national labor organizations of the United States and Canada, respectively.

The Union is governed by an international president, international executive vice president, international secretary treasurer, and 18 international vice presidents who are elected every three years at the ATU’s International Convention. The 18 international vice presidents form the Union’s General Executive Board.

ATU international headquarters is located in Silver Spring, MD. The offices of ATU Canada are located near Toronto, in Rexdale, ON.

Public Transit

From streetcar operators in Toronto, to bus drivers in San Diego, ATU represents the men and women who help move the United States and Canada. Millions of riders depend on public transit to get to work, to medical appointments, and to the grocery store every single day. Our members are the bus drivers, rail operators, mechanics, station attendants and other support personnel who make safe, efficient, and affordable public transportation possible.

Over the Road

Intercity bus service is a critical component of our surface transportation system. Greyhound is the dominant carrier in the U.S. and Canada, offering scheduled services across a large geographic network. Regional carriers continue to play a significant role however, and ATU members also operate motorcoaches for companies such as Peter Pan, Southeastern Stages, and Frank Martz Coach Company, among others.

School Bus

Every year, school districts spend about $22 billion on student transportation and 500,000 yellow buses travel our roads daily. 55 percent of K-12 students ride the bus to school. School bus drivers across the country are entrusted with the care and safety of more than 25 million children as they are transported to and from school and school-related activities. In total, school buses provide 10 billion annual student rides.

Paratransit

The ATU plays a role in an important civil rights issue: ensuring that seniors and persons with disabilities have access to high quality paratransit services. The Americans with Disabilities Act, passed in 1990, combated discrimination and put requirements into place to help persons with disabilities live and work in an integrated setting. Among other things, the Act required transit authorities to provide ADA paratransit services to persons with disabilities in all areas served by regular fixed-route services. Some transit authorities choose to provide additional paratransit services to all riders.