Overview
- Contracts with 52 private bus companies expire Oct. 31, and the Department of Education offered an emergency extension to keep service through November.
- Twenty-seven vendors accepted the short-term deal, which delays some layoffs but leaves significant portions of the system unresolved.
- The Panel for Education Policy is considering action on a negotiated five-year contract that members say lacks sufficient worker protections and service improvements.
- Company representatives say unpaid invoices and 30-day terms make financing operations difficult, and they warn of layoffs and potential service stoppages without a multi-year agreement.
- Dozens of drivers rallied at the panel meeting, and city officials outlined contingency plans including free OMNY cards for students and a caregiver plus limited rideshare or reimbursement options, with buses expected to run Monday as families prepare for possible changes.