Under the pact, top pay for most bus or train operators willjump to $22.50 an hour, and their contribution to their pensionplan will drop by 1%. And in another important victory for theunions, any effort by the governing Metropolitan Transit Authorityto split up the massive bus system to improve service will requirethat newly hired drivers get the same pay and benefits.

Most buses and trains are expected to resume operation byThursday, with full service returning Friday or Monday. The strikewas the third longest in LA history and forced 450,000 dailytransit riders to find other ways to get to work or school, visittheir doctor or to keep other appointments.

The walkout also took its toll on hundreds of restaurants, barsand retail stores--many of which are located in CBD officebuildings--because many of the establishments' regular workers andpatrons couldn't make it into transit-dependent Downtown. Hoteloperators also suffered because some of their maids and otherservice staff depend on public transit to get to and from theirjobs.