Denver ? Trains and buses started rolling again Monday to the delight of thousands of Denver-area commuters who had to find another way to get to work during a weeklong transit strike.

The Regional Transportation District’s 1,750 union mechanics, bus drivers and train operators walked off the job April 3 after rejecting a contract offer that their union leaders had recommended. The strike shut down all train service and more than half the bus routes in a seven-county area.

On Friday, the workers overwhelming approved a new contract with the same overall wage increase but a larger initial raise.

The morning commute started smoothly, state transportation officials said.

Bus driver Len Robinson said he believed passengers would not hold the strike against him or other union members.

“I didn’t hire on to strike, but I believe in standing up for ourselves,” he said. “I’m thinking they’ll be glad we’re back.”