NEW YORK – A heated showdown is expected tonight as a city panel decides whether to approve a three-year contract extension for New York City’s school bus companies — a move that could affect thousands of families who rely on yellow buses every day.
What we know:
The Panel for Educational Policy, which oversees major Department of Education contracts, is set to vote on the deal after weeks of growing frustration from parents who say bus service has been unreliable.
Many complain their children’s buses routinely arrive late, or never show up at all.
The issue is especially urgent for the roughly 68,000 students with disabilities who depend on these buses for safe and consistent transportation. Some parents are demanding that the city delay approval until bus companies guarantee better service, including functioning air conditioning and dependable routes.
But others fear rejecting the deal could make things worse. If the contract isn’t approved, they worry bus companies could stop service altogether.
Education officials say families shouldn’t panic just yet. Buses will continue running under the current agreement through the end of December, and if a new deal isn’t reached, the city could approve one-month emergency extensions starting in January.
Still, with tensions running high and parents demanding accountability, all eyes are on tonight’s vote, and what it could mean for the 150,000 students who ride those buses every school day.
The Source: This is based on information from NYC school buses and The Panel for Educational Policy.