ST. LOUIS — Metro Transit officials are optimistic that recent pay raises will help fill open positions in its paratransit service. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Bi-State Development is on the verge of finalizing a new three-year contract with the Amalgamated Transit Union. This agreement includes an increase in base pay of more than three dollars per hour, in addition to three percent pay raises each year for the next two years.
Furthermore, new paratransit drivers will be eligible for a signing bonus ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. These financial incentives come at a crucial time, as Metro currently has 63 vacancies in its Call-A-Ride service.