TORONTO, September 24, 2008 -- The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113 (ATU113) and Veolia Transportation Inc. (drivers for Viva) Members of Local 113 of Amalgamated Transit Union have rejected a tentative agreement and as a result they will be on strike as of THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2008.
As a result there will be NO Viva buses; which will impact Viva Blue, Viva Pink, Viva Green, Viva Orange and Viva Purple. All York Region Transit, TTC and Brampton Transit services operating in York Region will continue to operate.
Community members who utilize Viva to commute to York are encouraged to seek alternative means of transportation such as carpooling, car sharing, cycling, drive to the University, taking a taxi or alternate transit (ie. GO Transit; York Region Transit, TTC). You will find below alternative commuting options for York University Viva customers:
- Smart Commute – North Toronto, Vaughan has a carpool ride-matching service available to all community members: The Carpool Zone will assist community members in finding a ride-match. If you need a ride or are willing to drive other community members, register for the carpool program at: www.smartcommutentv.ca
- Daily parking will be available on a first come, first serve basis in the visitor parking lots on campus which includes: York Lanes Parking Garage, Student Services Parking Garage, Arboretum Parking Garage, Founders Road Visitor’s Lot and North West Gate Visitor’s Lot. For more information about Visitor Parking Lots and the daily rates, please go to: www.yorku.ca/parking
- Faculty, staff and students are able to join Zipcar, a car sharing company. All members of Zipcar will have access to Zipcar's network which includes two cars on the Keele Campus and many other cars which are located throughout the City of Toronto. For more information and to become a member of Zipcar, please visit: www.zipcar.com/yorku
- To obtain assistance in alternative trip planning or more information, you can contact the York Region Transit Customer Contact Centre at 1-866-MOVE YRT (668-3978). Additionally, you can e-mail Transportation Services at York University at transit@yorku.ca or Smart Commute-North Toronto, Vaughan at info@SmartCommuteNTV.ca
For specific route and transit information, please contact:
TTC:www.ttc.ca or call 416-393-INFO
GO Transit: www.gotransit.com or 1-888-GET-ON-GO (416-869-3200)
YRT/VIVA: www.yrt.ca or call 1-866-MOVE-YRT (668-3979)
Brampton Transit: www.bramptontransit.com or call 905-874-2999
For more information, please visit the York Region website at www.yrt.ca or check local newspaper, television and radio stations and their associated websites for further information regarding the status of the service disruption. Community members should plan their trip ahead of time and give themselves additional time to get to their destination as there will be a lot of congestion on the roads.
