A tentative settlement was reached Monday between striking van drivers and the companies that provide transportation for thousands of disabled riders in New York but the pact remains to be voted on – until then, the strike continues.

The members of the Para Transit Drivers and Mechanics of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1181-1061, numbering 1,500 persons, began the strike a week ago. Last week, between 65 percent and 70 percent of scheduled routes were served, according to Newsday.com.

Union vice president Tommy Mullins said yesterday that union members will vote on the tentative deal Wednesday in Queens. He added that the recent introduction of a federal mediator in negotiations had been especially helpful in reaching the tentative offer.

The two sides also said details of the offer would not be disclosed before the vote tomorrow.

The Paratransit Operators Coalition represents four of the 14 companies that provide the Access-A-Ride van service for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

The MTA, which runs the public bus and subway system, was not involved in the negotiations. As many as 20,000 riders use the service each weekday, and about 8,000 of those were affected by the strike, according to reports.

The chief negotiator for the Paratransit Operators Coalition, Jeff Pollack, said the offer was “a very fair and equitable package.”

“We think it should be ratified, and we hope it will be ratified,” Pollack said, as quoted by Newsday. “We want to get the people back to work and get back to transporting our passengers.”

The commissioner of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, Ralph Quattrocchi, who entered the talks last week after Gov. Eliot Spitzer also got involved, said, “We’re hopeful this proposal will meet the needs of the union membership and will be ratified.”

The MTA has tried to resolve the situation by offering taxi vouchers to disabled riders affected by the strike, and by relying on other transportation providers and private ambulette carriers.