ORANGE – Encouraged by progress in recent negotiations, the Orange County Transportation Authority has sent a letter requesting talks continue with the union representing OCTA maintenance employees in an effort to reach an agreement and avoid further OC Bus service disruptions.

OCTA and the union met Saturday, Sunday and again on Monday in a session that lasted until 3 a.m. today (Tuesday) with progress made on multiple fronts. The union has previously stated if no agreement was reached in the most recent round of talks they would again go on strike. Bus service was interrupted with a four-day strike that ended Sunday afternoon.

“We know that any interruption in bus service hurts the people in our community who have no other way to travel,” said OCTA Chairman Mark A. Murphy, also the Mayor of Orange. “That’s why we are working hard to avoid a strike and we want to continue negotiating.”

Passengers are asked to continue checking octa.net for service updates. ACCESS service is continuing as usual.

OC Bus is a lifeline for Orange County residents, with 85% of riders using OC Bus as their primary means of transportation. The service is also vital to students getting to and from school. In the last year, more than 3 million trips have been taken with OCTA’s Youth Ride Free and College Pass programs.

About OCTA: The Orange County Transportation Authority is the county transportation planning commission, responsible for funding and implementing transit and capital projects for a balanced and sustainable transportation system that reflects the diverse travel needs of the county’s 34 cities and 3.2 million residents. With the mission of keeping Orange County moving, this includes freeways and express lanes, bus and rail transit, rideshare, commuter rail and active transportation. To sign up for more OCTA news, visit octa.net/GetConnected.