O'ahu bus drivers, mechanics and other support staff yesterday approved a new contract that will give them a 21 percent pay raise over the next five years.

Members of the Hawaii Teamsters & Allied Workers Union Local 996 voted 844-103 to ratify the contract, which covers about 1,200 drivers, mechanics, maintenance workers and clerical staff of Oahu Transit Services.

"I think it's a good contract for the next five years because nothing was taken away and they got some extra benefits," said Asi Fakaosi, Local 996 assistant president.

J. Roger Morton, OTS president and general manager, was also pleased with the agreement, which he says will cost about $3.4 million in fiscal year 2009, or about $200,000 over what had been budgeted.

Sharing projected budget figures with the union made the "negotiations run more smoothly and businesslike," he said.

The agreement assures no disruption of service at a critical time for OTS and its riders, Morton said.

"It will give us time to try and improve our customer services," Morton said.

In the first quarter of the year, TheBus ridership was up 3 percent compared with the same period last year. Although ridership totals for the second quarter aren't out yet, Morton also expects an increase.

"Anecdotally, all of my operators say that they feel a greater ridership," he said. "Having said that, this is the summer doldrums for us. School's out and UH is out, so it's never our strongest month."

In August 2003, Teamsters members struck OTS for more than a month over wages and benefits. The strike forced thousands of bus riders to scramble for alternate ways to get around.

OTS, which operates TheBus for the city, on July 1 presented what it called its "best and final" offer to the union. The previous five-year contract expired June 30, but the two sides agreed to extend the contract until July 10.

Union members began voting yesterday morning at TheBus' Middle Street and Halawa bus terminals.

Here are major points of the new deal: