NYC parents, lawmakers push for better school bus service for students with disabilities
New York City parents, lawmakers and advocates will push for a new law as some students with disabilities still don't have reliable bus service one week into the school year.
It's an issue that comes up every year, with roughly 68,000 students relying on these buses to get to class. Many are dealing with buses running late, excessively long rides, and some have no bus route at all.
Parents and state lawmakers gather at noon Thursday at City Hall to push for legislation aimed at fixing how the city handles its school bus contracts.
Advocates say many of those contracts have been largely unchanged for more than 40 years. Their argument is that the city needs more reliable service, while still protecting the pay and benefits of experienced workers.
Lawmakers will introduce a new bill that would allow the city to include employee protection provisions when competitively rebidding transportation contracts.
The Department of Education said officials are working to ensure every child has a way to get to school, whether it is with a bus, a prepaid rideshare option or an OMNY card.
"We are working around the clock on immediate fixes including procuring additional buses and training new drivers, and are also working toward long-term solutions, so that families are not facing these same challenges year after year," part of a statement read.
About 100 routes still aren't picking up students, advocates say. This comes after roughly 2,000 students with disabilities didn't have transportation lined up before the school year started. Students and families will speak about their experience at the press conference Thursday.
