School Bus Showdown: NYC Students and Workers in the Crossfire

A major fight over school bus contracts in New York City is putting 150, 000 students and 12, 000 jobs at risk. The bus companies involved say they can't keep running without a new, long-term deal. They claim the city's current month-to-month approach just doesn't work for their business. The companies have told the state they plan to stop service on November 1 if nothing changes. They say they need a five-year contract to buy new buses and plan ahead. Without it, they can't keep going. The city's education panel, though, wants to keep things as they are for now. They're not happy with the proposed deal and think it doesn't protect workers enough. This fight isn't just about contracts and buses. It's about kids getting to school safely and workers keeping their jobs. The bus companies say they've agreed to some big changes, like adding GPS tracking and buying electric buses. They also plan to spend millions with minority and women-owned businesses. But the city's education panel isn't convinced. They say the bus companies have been providing poor service for years. They've even set up a committee to figure out how to improve things. The panel's chair calls the threat to cancel bus service a "knee jerk reaction" and says it's unfair to use students as leverage. The mayor's office is on the side of the bus companies. They say the city needs to act fast to keep students safe. With a big election coming up, this fight could have big consequences. Both sides need to find a solution soon, or a lot of people will be affected.