An agreement has been reached between New Orleans transit officials and union officials that will return bus and streetcar drivers to work.

WWL-TV

File Photo

That's according to the Regional Transit Authority.

On Friday, dozens of drivers called in sick, leaving some locals and fans in town for the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival looking for a ride. A transit authority spokeswoman, Rosalind Cook, says supervisors and substitutes with bus licenses were asked to help but that the sick-out still had a big affect on people waiting on a ride.

Cook says some workers did NOT show up early this morning for work but that she was told they would be coming in. She says at least one bus was running on each route. The agreement, reached late last night between representatives of the transit authority and the Amalgamated Transit Union, would raise the pay for the highest-paid union workers -- those with at least four years on the job -- from $17.05 an hour to $18.99 an hour.

The union represents about 230 drivers. And the agreement is set to run through December First.