The membership overwhelmingly rejected the Companys proposed contract offer. The combined vote of all the crafts was 106 for rejection, 38 for acceptance. The Committee will now attempt to set up more bargaining sessions with the Company. In the interim , all employees should report for work routinely. We will keep you posted re further developments.

On December 3, 2004 ballots were counted in our Local election and Patrick Aloi was elected to serve out the remainder of the current term as Local Vice President. Congratulations and Good Luck to Pat. Thanks to Oswald Barrett and Eddie Pollard for their participation.

On April 6, 2004 at a meeting of the United Transportation Union Board of Directors in Cleveland Ohio, our Chairman, Richard Deiser, was elected alternate International vice president – Bus Department, east, to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Carolyn Scarsella.

Ballots in the run-off election were tallied this morning and Helaine Parsons has been elected to the position of Drivers Vice Chairperson over Partick Aloi by a close vote of 65 to 60. Special thanks to all those who helped out counting ballots in the first vote as well as the run-off.

Since no candidate received a clear majority of votes when the ballots were tallied on March 5, 2004 a run-off election between Patrick Aloi and Helaine Parsons is now being conducted. PLEASE read and follow the voting instructions carefully. You MUST put your name and return address on the return envelope. If we don't know who the ballot is from it can not be counted. Placing the ballot in the envelope with the bold "A" on it protects the secrecy of your vote. If you have any questions contact any officer or committee person.

Due to the recent "promotion" of Mo Mawajdeh, nominations for the position of Drivers Vice Chairman are being accepted at this time. Nominating petitions must include the signatures of five active members of Local 1558 and should be submitted to Local Secretary/Treasurer, Michael Byrne. Nominations will also be accepted from the floor at our next regular Union meeting on February 6, 2004 at the Dumont Union Office. Nominations will be CLOSED at that time. In the interim, General Chairman Rich Deiser has named Bill Timms as acting Drivers Vice Chairman until the position can be filled according to the procedures laid out in the UTU Constitution and our Local Bylaws.

Local Legislative Representative Ralph Styverson and Alternate Legislative Representative Rich Deiser were both re-elected at the Regular October Union meeting.

An all day special meeting for the purpose of contract ratification was held Monday June 30th. All four represented crafts, Clerical, Dispatchers, Maintenance and Drivers narrowly voted in favor of acceptance. The Committee thanks all of you who participated, no matter which way you voted. It is through member participation that a Union gets it's strength. Fraternally, The Committee and Officers of UTU Local 1558

On Monday, June 30, 2003 United Transportation Union, Local 1558 will be holding meetings all day at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Crest Street, Westwood, off Kinderkamack Rd. one block south of Old Hook Rd. Meetings will be every 2 hours and will begin at the following times: 9:30AM, 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM, 3:30 PM, 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM. These meetings will be for the sole purpose of discussing the contract negotiations and taking a ratification or a strike vote. No other business will be discussed.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - New hours-of-service regulations aimed at commercial truck drivers do not affect bus drivers, said Percy Palmer, vice president and director of the UTU Bus Department. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has imposed new driving limitations in an effort to combat serious safety problems involving tired truck drivers. Although an earlier proposal would have included bus drivers operating in interstate commerce, federal regulators chose not to include bus drivers because of the bus industry's superior safety record, Palmer said. "Federal data show that bus drivers are among the safest in North America," Palmer said. Buses carry more passengers than all the airlines combined, he said. In issuing the new regulations affecting truck drivers, FMCSA Administrator Annette Sandberg said, "Motorcoaches are the safest form of commercial motor vehicle operations" and "until DOT has science and data that supports it, they will not be making changes to these rules for the motorcoach industry." April 27, 2003

With the overwhelming consent and support of the membership, the contract has been extended to June, 30, 2003. All provisions of the current agreement are binding and will remain in effect until then. Negotiations will continue in the interim.

On Wednesday, March 26, 2003, Coach USA held a luncheon at Biaggio's Restaurant in Paramus, NJ, to honor bus Coach USA Bus Operators who had completed ten or more consecutive years of driving without a chargeable or preventable accident. The following Rockland Coaches drivers from Local 1558, Dumont, NJ, were awarded certificates of merit and laser-inscribed walnut plaques by Senior Vice President Roger Bowker and Northern District General Manager George Grieve: Ronald Drolshagen (25 years) Kevin Grant (25 years) Charles Sweeney (23 years) John Gunning (21 years) Richard Deiser (19 years) James Darcy (17 years) Nikola Pavliski (17 years) Gary Everett (14 years) Brian Kenny (14 years) Henton Morton (12) Calvin Martin (11) Lewis McLendon (11) Isaac Riveron (10) Together they represent 220 years of safe driving. Spouses were invited as well. The event was cosponsored by Atlantic Detroit Diesel-Allison.