An estimated 2,500 Muni drivers have packed into a class action lawsuit against their employer, alleging the Municipal Railroad has been wasting their time and failing to pay their fair share for overtime work.

According to SF Weekly, every single driver who has operated a Muni vehicle since July 2009 is named as part of the class. They claim they are paid based upon a certain number of hours of driving time and that Muni has designed their routes so that staying on schedule is actually impossible — something any regular Muni rider would probably agree with.

The Weekly shares more details from the lawsuit:

In a strongly worded ruling, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers affirmed the drivers have "provided substantial evidence" they've been stiffed in the myriad ways they claim Muni is stiffing them. These include interludes spent performing post-driving inspections; travels from one bus or train to another when switching runs; and time expended wandering from the final bus or train run of the day to their personal vehicles.

The lawsuit also alleges that, due to the lost and unpaid hours, Muni is in violation of the city's minimum wage ordinance, despite the fact that Muni drivers make well above the minimum wage. In order to recoup all those years of lost overtime pay, the lawsuit is seeking a $50 per day penalty for five years for all 2,500 drivers — which adds up to a hefty $228 million payout. Both sides are scheduled to meet in court on August 8th.

Previously: All Muni Coverage on SFist
[SFWeekly]