5011 Operators' Salaries and Wages

Operators’ salaries and wages include the cost of labor, excluding paid absences and fringe benefits, for the transit agency's employees who are classified as revenue vehicle operators or crewmembers. These expenses include wages for performing activities related to vehicle operations such as: (a) report time; (b) platform time; (c) turn-in time; and (d) accident reporting time.

These expenses also cover wages paid to back-up (extra board drivers) such as stand-by time.
In small transit systems, operators also may be scheduled to perform vehicle maintenance duties that are typically performed by vehicle maintenance employees. These duties may include servicing revenue vehicles (e.g., fueling, interior cleaning, and exterior washing) and limited inspection and maintenance of revenue vehicles.

Operators sometimes are temporarily assigned duties other than driving their vehicles in revenue service such as: (a) training time either as a student or instructor; (b) revenue vehicle movement control as dispatchers or road supervisors; (c) movement of revenue vehicles among maintenance and operating facilities; (d) maintenance of bus stops and shelters; and (e) general administration assignment such as customer service and marketing