School Bus Problems in the News

The following articles are a sampling of stories from news sources across the country. 

• Shuttle Bus Drivers Campaign for Union Representation
  Problems such as unfair wages and no pay during sick leave or holidays puts bus drivers at a serious disadvantage when it comes to supporting their families.MORE

• Bus Problems Perplex Parents As School Year Begins
  Routing and scheduling issues cause Cincinnatti school kids to endure rides up to an hour long to get to schools as close as one mile away. MORE

• School-bus company packs up; Drivers laid off as contract with Columbus fades
  The bus company that failed to do proper criminal-background checks on its drivers, leading to a one-day shutdown of Columbus Public Schools in January, is laying off the 60 or so workers who drove routes for the district. MORE

• Columbus City Schools Reopen
  When school bus supplier First Student, discovered it had not done required criminal background checks on their drivers since 2004 it was forced to ground its fleet while background checks were run, causing the Columbus City school system to close down. Video on the story is available from this link. MORE

• Waukegan school officials: "We did our job" Buses thaw, kids back in school
  Youngsters around the city were left standing at bus stops in sub-zero temperatures unaware that bus service had been canceled by First Student. MORE

• Bus Driver Dumps Students
  A driver who was "just filling in" stranded almost 20 elementary students in an unfamiliar neighborhood. MORE  

• Late-Night Parties Trash School Buses, Drivers Say
  Empty beer cans, cigarettes, dirty condoms, vomit and urine have been left on chartered buses that are later used on Columbia school routes. MORE

• School Bus Delays See Improvement
  The school system is looking for a possible refund from Frist Student when it was forced to shorten the school day to accomodate late school buses and a shortage of bus drivers. MORE