School Bus Companies Face New Rules to Improve Service

New York City Council passed a package of bills Wednesday that seek to improve school bus service after years of complaints and an especially bad start to the school year this fall. 

The bills require bus companies to test and inform parents of routes 15 days before school starts, and provide real-time GPS data to authorized caregivers. They also require more training for drivers who transport students with disabilities, and additional reporting from the Department of Education on parent complaints.

Council member Mark Treyger, who chairs the education committee, said the lack of transparency on bus service was "unconscionable." According to Treyger, approximately 150,000 students rely on the $1.2 billion bus system, including a large proportion of students with disabilities.

"No parent should wonder where their child is or when their child is finally getting home from a school bus ride gone off track," said Council member Ben Kallos, who sponsored two of the bills.

Families said bus service hit new lows last fall with two-hour delays, and drivers who asked students for directions. A snowstorm in November stranded some students until midnight.

Schools chancellor Richard Carranza promised an overhaul. He replaced the official in charge of student transportation in September and initiated an audit of bus contracts.

"Families deserve safe and reliable school transportation," education department spokesperson Miranda Barbot said in a statement. She said the agency was already implementing some of the changes required by Council, like equipping all buses with GPS.