JTRAN is offering free rides in Mississippi’s capital city.
Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba announced during his weekly press conference on Monday that the transportation provider will not charge passengers for rides for the remainder of the month of September.
The announcement comes less than a week after JTRAN’s services resumed in Jackson following a two-week strike led by disgruntled workers and union representatives.
Last Tuesday, the Amalgamated Transit Union’s local chapter, on behalf of JTRAN employees, reached a tentative agreement with contractor MV Transportation that meets the union’s requirements for fair pay, job security, safety improvements, and strong benefits.
The agreement follows months of failed negotiations between the JTRAN workers union, Amalgamated Transit, and MV, which ultimately came to a head with workers from Jackson’s public transportation system staging a strike that began on September 4.
Sources close to the situation told SuperTalk Mississippi News that JTRAN workers claimed to have been punished for taking time off of work, missing work for previously scheduled medical appointments, and asking for future days off. Those concerns have since been remedied with the agreement between the union and the passenger transportation contracting firm.
Now, Jacksonians have seven days to enjoy cost-free rides on various JTRAN buses citywide. Beginning October 1, passengers will have to once again pay for public transportation services. Prices can be found here.
