UPDATE: Driver Absences, Refusal of Overtime Caused Metro Transit Disruptions Thursday

MADISON, Wis. (WMDX) – After delays in service Thursday, Madison officials cited negotiations between the city and the union representing bus drivers. 

City officials posted a notice Thursday morning that said Metro Transit riders may experience delays due to an “extreme number of driver absences”. They had instructed people who rely on the bus to keep an eye on their system to track their route. 

Later in the day, the city issued a new statement on its website. It said the delays were caused by all those absences, plus drivers who refused overtime, which would’ve resolved or at least minimized disruptions. 

“The City is in ongoing negotiations with Teamsters Local 120 which represents Metro bus drivers and mechanics and is committed to continuing to engage in good faith bargaining,” the statement from the city said. “We are disappointed that in the middle of bargaining, some Metro employees chose to take concerted action that disrupted a vital service that so many other working Madisonians depend on.”

According to that statement, city employees represented by unions got 3% raises in 2025. 

“We are committed to ensuring parity with other bargaining units and other national comparables with regard to wages for Metro bus drivers and other employees,” the statement read.