There are carpools, and then there is the carpool at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, the only one of its kind in the country. The drivers of this carpool have two jobs at the shipyard: they are all full-time employees at the shipyard, and part-time drivers.

Teamsters Local 589 in Port Angeles, Wash., represents the drivers and on May 16^th, they won their first contract. It took only one, 2 hour and 40 minute negotiation session, said Mark Fuller, President of Local 589.

Among the contract highlights were a 5 percent wage increase for the 1^st year of the three-year contract.

“These workers provide a great service to their co-workers at the shipyard,” Fuller said. “The drivers keep the buses at their homes or close by and in the morning and evenings, they pick up their co-workers along the way, drop them off at work. The drivers then park the buses and go to their full-time jobs at the shipyard.”

The drivers work as electricians, plumbers, and various other jobs, Fuller said.

There are 28 routes total, exclusive to the Naval Station at Bremerton and Sub Base Bangor. This carpool system has been in place since 1983 and is the only one in the country, Fuller said.

Local 589 also represents the Service Technicians’ in the shop at Kitsap Transit.

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