Regional Transportation District leaders are preparing to cut jobs just two weeks after announcing "several difficult decisions" were coming, but the union leader representing bus and train operators told Denver7 that wont fix t heir budget problems.RTD refers to the cuts as an operations realignment that will save an estimated $10.7 million. Their 2025 salary, wage, and fringe benefit expense for 3,169 employees was $431 million.But RTD is facing a $250 million budget shortfall, as Denver7 reported earlier this month.I don't believe $250 million will be resolved through any staffing cuts, said ATU Local 1001 Union President Lance Longenbohn.In a statement to Denver7, an RTD spokesperson said, Operating costs are increasing faster than total revenue, and federal relief funds that supported transit agencies in prior years are no longer available.RTD officials said that under the realignment, about half of the savings will come from eliminating vacant management positions.That's something Longenbohn said the union has been pointing to since 2020.Their management was getting very top-heavy. They added layers and layers of management. Just recently, within the last year, they added a deputy general manager, Longenbohn said.ATU Local 1001 represents 1,169 RTD bus and train operators.Longenbohn said his members are asked to work overtime to maintain current service levels. He shared an RTD flyer from August that offered operators extra work across all divisions.The number of operators and transit workers that we have that put the service out currently are not excessive, Longenbohn said. Without the current staffing levels doing extra work, the service that we currently have is not met.RTD said the job cuts are just one component of its plan to address the budget deficit. They also plan to reduce expenses and increase revenue opportunities.The agency told Denver7 its cost-savings strategy is designed to preserve core transit services and minimize impacts to customers to the extent possible. ...read more read less