Riders Welcome Return of Buses : Transportation: About three-fourths of MTA’s fleet resumes service after strike ends. Passenger loads are lower than normal on some routes.

Buses were back rumbling through the streets of Los Angeles on Wednesday--a welcome sight even with their nine-day mantle of dust.

About three-fourths of the pre-strike fleet of 1,900 Metropolitan Transportation Authority buses rolled out, and all 202 lines were in operation, making it again possible for hundreds of thousands of residents without cars to get from here to there. Full service was expected to be restored today or Friday.

But at least at one MTA yard, some buses and drivers sat idle because there were not enough mechanics to inspect the buses. Officials reported about 70% of the mechanics back on the job Wednesday--a day after ratifying a new contract.

As a goodwill gesture, the MTA is leaving the fare at 50 cents through Sunday, down from the usual $1.10. Nonetheless, transit officials predict a 5% drop in ridership because of the strike. MTA officials expect ridership to decline further after the fare goes to $1.35 on Sept. 1.

During the walkout by union mechanics, which was honored by drivers and clerks, the MTA put about 350 buses on the street, but service stopped at 6 p.m. Round-the-clock bus operations resumed Wednesday.

All over town, the end to Los Angeles’ first transit strike in more than a decade was greeted with relief.

“Finally,” sighed Paula Smith, a Delta flight attendant who works until 12:30 a.m. and often could not get back to her Mid-City home during the strike because the last bus had left. “Now, I don’t have to sleep in strange places or bug anybody for a ride.”

“I’m glad it’s over for the sake of our passengers,” said Jody Little-Williams, an MTA secretary from South-Central Los Angeles who was mustered into service as a replacement driver.

She is pleased to be able to sleep later. Little-Williams, who had never driven a bus before the strike, was reporting to the bus yard at 4:48 a.m. to operate Line 560 on Van Nuys Boulevard.

Her only regret: “I wish I could have gotten one more chance to say goodby to the riders,” she said.

Some drivers said passenger loads had not returned to normal.

“They don’t realize we’re back,” said John Nunez, finding only about 20 passengers on his usually packed Olympic Boulevard bus.

“They were glad to see us back, but most of them didn’t expect a bus to be there,” said Art Blumberg, carrying 20% of the usual riders on his route from Nordhoff Street in Chatsworth to Downtown Los Angeles.

Roy Dixon, a mechanic who was back on the job at the Highland Park bus yard, said there were no hard feelings.

“Everything’s fine,” he said.

Dixon said he was heartened earlier Wednesday, when he had been in Glendale fixing a bus that had broken down on the road. When he got it started, pedestrians waved and cheered at the MTA mechanics and driver, he said.

Askia Faheen, a driver who honored the picket line, was glad to be back behind the wheel on Wilshire Boulevard, greeting familiar faces.

“Once you get to know some of the people, you look forward to seeing them,” said Faheen, a driver for 11 years. “How’re you doin’?” he said to passengers as they boarded.

Although the mechanics approved their agreement, some drivers expressed concern about their proposed contract.

“There is the possibility that we might be going out again,” said driver Paul Robinson, who added: “I talked to seven guys, and six said they voted ‘no.’ ”

Ballots were mailed Monday to 4,400 bus and train operators represented by the United Transportation Union. They will be counted Aug. 12.

Many passengers were just happy they could get around again.

“I’m elated,” said Byron Johnson, who during the strike had been leaving for work three hours early so he could catch one of the last buses to get to his graveyard-shift job. “I can sleep again.”

As the best indicator that public transit is returning to normal, riders complained about late buses.

“I’m upset,” said Elaine Vigil, waiting at a bus stop at 4th and Soto streets in Boyle Heights. “I’m going to be late to work. It’s kind of frustrating.”

Jumping nervously into traffic to look for the bus, she motioned across the street to the opposite side. “This is the fourth bus going that way, and no bus coming this way,” she said.

“This is going to cause me to want to get a car,” she said angrily.

As he waited along Lankershim Boulevard in North Hollywood, Juan Gonzalez said the end of the strike made little difference on the street. The 22-year-old man had been waiting 45 minutes for a bus.

“It doesn’t matter if there’s a strike or not,” he said. “The buses still aren’t running.”

The MTA announced that holders of July monthly passes are eligible for refunds for days the strike was in effect. They should send their passes to P.O. Box 194, Los Angeles 90053. Refunds will be mailed.

Times staff writer Timothy Williams contributed to this story.