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Some RTA workers may earn close to $100,000 a year

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Staff photo by Ron Alvey Riders board a bus at Third Street in Dayton. Staff photo by Ron Alvey

By Lynn Hulsey, Staff Writer Updated 11:05 AM Sunday, August 2, 2009

DAYTON — The driver at the wheel of that big green Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority bus may be pulling in close to $99,000 a year.

Last year, 10 drivers were paid more than $80,000, each chalking up significant overtime pay, according to an analysis of RTA earningsby the Dayton Daily News. Nearly one-tenth of RTA’s 364 drivers earned more than $70,000, and a janitor was paid $79,189, making him the 18th highest paid employee in the publicly funded transit system serving Montgomery County.

What some may see as eye-popping wages were paid even as RTA struggled with major financial problems leading to service cuts and fare increases beginning this month.

“I can see where some people would see some drivers making 90,000-plus as a concern,” said RTA Board President Bryan Bucklew.

A driver making $98,701 was the second highest paid employee after Executive Director Mark Donaghy, who was paid $184,783. Donaghy’s pay is highest among top transit officials at seven peer transit systems and the larger Cleveland and Columbus systems.

Donaghy defended his own salary as fair. He said employees making the highest wages worked significant amounts of overtime, costs he’s working to better control within the constraints of union contract wages and rules.

“I don’t want to say I’m blaming the high salaries on past administrations or past boards,” Bucklew said. “But that sets the precedent on what we’re dealing with.”

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