NYC officials lay out plans to get kids to school if bus contract negotiations stall

City officials are racing against the clock as negotiations with top bus companies hit a roadblock, threatening to leave hundreds of thousands of students stranded without reliable transportation to school. The city is pushing for temporary contract extensions, but the bus operators want a five-year deal, citing concerns about labor and real estate costs.

The Department of Education is preparing alternative arrangements in case talks collapse. Free OMNY cards will be given to affected students, as well as access to pre-paid rideshare services or reimbursement for transportation costs for those with disabilities, who are homeless, or part of the foster care system. The city's goal is to ensure all students can safely get to and from school without incident.

The contracts in question involve over 40 private companies that transport more than 150,000 students – many of whom have special needs or face homelessness. The current deals expire at the end of this month unless the companies agree to temporary extensions. However, even those agreements are seen as unsustainable by the bus operators.

Industry representatives claim indefinite emergency extensions would be unfeasible and impractical for transportation firms. They argue that a longer-term contract is needed to manage labor and real estate costs. The companies have proposed upgrades in exchange for the extended deal, including improved GPS on buses, enhanced customer service, and increased investment in electric vehicles.

Parents, advocates, and some city officials are calling for tighter requirements in any new contracts – such as improvements to bus services and more accountability from operators. Some are even pushing for another temporary contract to see the city through the end of the year and into the next administration.

A key group, the Panel for Educational Policy, has made it clear that they will not be held hostage by the bus companies' demands. The panel's chair, Gregory Faulkner, stated that he had heard from parents who did not want a five-year contract and vowed to stand up for their concerns.

Wow Those poor students are going to get stuck without transport if these talks break down . I think the city should be willing to compromise on the length of the deal but find ways to make it work for everyone . It's not just about saving money, it's about getting kids safely to school . The bus companies have some valid concerns about labor costs and whatnot , but there gotta be a way to make this work .

This is a super tough spot for everyone involved! I feel bad for the students who'll be stuck without reliable transportation to school . At the same time, I get why the bus companies are being cautious about labor costs and real estate expenses - it's not easy running a business . The city's plan to offer free OMNY cards and pre-paid rideshare services is a good start, but we need a more sustainable solution in the long run .

I think the key is finding a compromise that works for everyone . Maybe we can explore some middle ground solutions like temporary extensions with certain conditions, or even a phased rollout of new contracts . It's not rocket science, but it does require some creative problem-solving . Let's hope the city and bus companies can work together to find a solution that prioritizes student safety above all else

omg this is getting crazy I'm so frustrated with the bus companies trying to hold our kids hostage over labor costs. Can't they see how ridiculous it's going to be if these contracts don't get extended? hundreds of thousands of students are counting on reliable transportation, and now we're being told that might not happen because some companies can't agree?

I feel for the parents and advocates who are pushing for better bus services and accountability from the operators. It's about time someone stood up for our kids' needs. And yeah, let's be real, a five-year contract is a huge ask – what if the city can't afford it? We need to find a solution that works for everyone, not just the companies.

I'm hoping the city will push back and say no to the five-year deal. Maybe we can negotiate a temporary extension with some concessions from the bus companies, like improved services or more efficient routes. The thought of those kids being left stranded is too much to bear – we need action now

I'm totally down with the bus companies wanting a 5 year deal , I mean, why not? They're the ones doing all the hard work, keeping the kids safe and on schedule every day. The city should be offering them some serious incentives to sign on for that long. And those parents who are all bent out of shape about it just don't understand how the real world works. It's time they learned to negotiate like adults. I'm also loving the idea of free OMNY cards and pre-paid rideshare services as a backup plan , because let's be real, sometimes things just don't go according to plan. And if the city can't get a 5 year deal, maybe it's time to start looking for new bus companies who are willing to play by their rules .

I'M GETTING REALLY WORRIED ABOUT ALL THESE STUDENTS WHO ARE GOING TO BE LEFT WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION TO SCHOOL!!! IT'S NOT FAIR THAT THE BUS COMPANIES ARE REFUSING TO EXTEND THE CONTRACTS AND LEAVING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS STRANDED!!! I THINK THE CITY SHOULD OFFER SOME KIND OF TEMPORARY ARRANGEMENTS LIKE FREE OMNY CARDS OR PRE-PAYED RIDESHARE SERVICES, ESPECIALLY FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES OR WHO ARE HOMELESS!!! WE NEED TO MAKE SURE ALL STUDENTS CAN GET TO SCHOOL SAFELY AND WITHOUT ANY ISSUES!!!

Ugh, this is getting so stressful! I'm all for helping those students get to school safely, but come on, can't we find a compromise here? I don't think giving them free OMNY cards or ride-sharing services is going to cut it - what about the ones who can't afford those? And the bus companies are being super unreasonable, wanting a five-year deal and then acting like they're being held hostage by us. I mean, isn't that just negotiating from a bad position?

I'm with the Panel for Educational Policy on this one - we need to stand up for our kids and make sure their voices are heard! Let's work together to find a solution that benefits everyone, not just the bus companies. We can do better than this

Umm yeah so like I dont think its fair if the bus companies are trying to get like 5 years of a contract without even making sure the students have reliable transportation . Theres so many kids that rely on these buses to get to school and its not just about them, their families too... I mean we should be prioritizing education over business interests, you know?

I'm like totally on board with the city pushing for temporary contract extensions... or am I? I mean, 40 private companies transporting 150k students is insane, so maybe they're right that we need a longer-term deal to manage those costs... wait, no, that's exactly what's wrong with the system! We shouldn't be putting all the burden on these companies and giving them too much flexibility. I'm not sure, can someone clarify?

omg this is getting crazy like what even is goin on here?! city officials are literally tryna negotiate with these bus companies but nobody's willing to budge... 40+ companies, 150k students affected, it's a disaster and yeah, free OMNY cards for all the kids who need 'em is a good start, but that's just the bare minimum. parents & advocates are right, we need better bus services & more accountability from these companies. can't they see this isn't about labor costs or real estate deals, it's about the students' safety

Ugh I'm getting so stressed thinking about all these students being stuck without transportation to school It's like, can't we just find a compromise here? The bus companies are worried about costs, but it feels like they're prioritizing profits over people. I mean, those electric vehicle upgrades sound nice and all, but what about the kids who need reliable transportation now?

I think the city is being reasonable with their proposal for temporary contract extensions, but at the same time, I can see why the bus companies would want a longer-term deal to manage costs. It's a tricky situation. Let's hope some kind of solution is found soon so these students don't get left behind

The bus operators are stuck on the idea of securing long-term contracts, while the city is worried about its most vulnerable citizens - students with special needs or facing homelessness. It's like they're comparing apples and oranges, one focusing on the bottom line and the other on ensuring a safety net for those who need it most.

Ugh, I just can't even... All this drama over transportation contracts is stressing me out. Can't they just get along? The city is trying to do the right thing by ensuring all students have safe access to school, but those bus companies are being super unreasonable.

I mean, 40+ private companies and 150k+ students are affected... that's a lot of people! It feels like they're putting profits over people. And now parents, advocates, and even some officials are calling for more accountability? Yeah, about time!

But at the same time, I can understand why the bus companies want a longer-term contract - labor and real estate costs aren't cheap . The proposed upgrades sound nice too... improved GPS on buses would be so convenient .

I guess the key is finding that sweet spot where everyone gets what they need. Not too much for the operators, not too little for the students. Fingers crossed those talks get back on track !

Can't believe these bus companies are being so unreasonable! I mean, I get it, labor and real estate costs can add up, but is it really worth leaving hundreds of thousands of students stranded? The city needs to negotiate a better deal, or at least come up with some alternative solutions that don't involve giving free OMNY cards and rideshare services. That just feels like band-aiding the problem rather than solving it.

And what's with all these upgrades they're proposing, like improved GPS on buses? I'm sure that's a nice-to-have, but is it really something that would be feasible for transportation firms to implement in a short amount of time? I think we need to see some more concrete proposals from the bus companies before we get too far down this rabbit hole.

And btw, I'm so tired of hearing about how "unfeasible" and "impractical" things are. Can't we just try something new for once? The Panel for Educational Policy is on the right track by standing up to the bus companies' demands. We need more voices like that in this conversation!