Overview
- Late Wednesday’s vote grants a three-year renewal retroactive to last summer for 52 bus companies that transport roughly 150,000 students.
- The panel also approved emergency coverage through the end of January while the longer deal undergoes comptroller registration.
- The extension includes requirements for company representatives at family town halls, additional training days, and $75 damages per run when GPS tracking is not used.
- Bus operators had threatened layoffs and possible service stoppages under month-to-month extensions after a five-year proposal failed to win panel support.
- Officials acknowledge persistent reliability problems and say broader reforms hinge on state action on worker protections, with students with disabilities most affected.