Don’t look now, but even the Las Vegas bus drivers and mechanics are now getting into the spirit of walking off their jobs. Drivers voted to authorize a strike a few days ago, but did not go as far as setting a date just yet.
After rejecting a proposed contract, the Las Vegas bus drivers say that this is not just about the money, it’s about safety concerns. Over the past year there have been nearly twenty violent incidents. “We’ve got drivers out there being spit on, punched, assaulted — driver had a gun shot at his window last week…” stated one Union member. Among the issues that need to be settled to avoid a strike there are the raises that the drivers and mechanics are seeking, plus changes for seniority with the mechanics and better benefits.
So will the Las Vegas bus drivers and mechanics try to use the Super Bowl as leverage? While nothing has officially been stated (because why would they… it’s implied), one worker stated that the “Super Bowl is coming up… sure would be rough to have all these busses sitting here with no drivers and nobody being able to move around this town.”
While one could argue how much of an impact a bus strike would have for the Super Bowl, consider this: Every person who usually takes a bus will be looking for other transportation, whether that’s a taxi, a ride share, or the Monorail. So there will be increased demand for these services while a major sporting event is going on. That would probably mean a huge jump in prices across the board.