B.C. Transit shelled out between 60 and 70 hours of overtime pay daily for more than a month to catch up to a backlog in bus repairs.

Greater Victoria transit service is now operating at service not seen since last October, when drivers and mechanics were banned from working overtime during labour negotiations.

"Our collective agreement with the union was signed Jan. 22, so our mechanics worked through most of February and into March,"  said Meribeth Burton, B.C. Transit spokeswoman.

Plus, there are now 42 mechanics employed by the Crown corporation in its two garages, she added.

"We're now fully staffed for the first time in five years in our garages."

B.C. Transit began issuing service delays on its website and on Twitter during negotiations, a practice that will continue thanks to updates at its communications centre, Burton said.

dpalmer@vicnews.com