School Bus

Leviticus McNeal is the new assistant director of transportation for St. Louis Public Schools. His hiring comes as the district cut ties with a transportation vendor who did not comply with safety standards.

District officials revised their transportation system earlier this week, providing yellow buses for nearly 1,000 additional students.

St. Louis Public Schools District officials say two of its transportation providers have informed them that they cannot provide the number of school buses the district had in its plan.

As concerns about student transportation, hiring and financial woes at SLPS have unfolded in recent weeks, Missouri state Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick says his office will audit the school district's operations and finances beginning Tuesday.

St. Louis Public Schools students will be taken to school by school buses operated by First Student and a hodgepodge of 18 smaller vendors. The district’s emergency plan follows a decision by Missouri Central Bus Co. to terminate its contract last school year and permanently close two of its facilities in St. Louis.

In addition to ending its contract with St. Louis Public Schools, Missouri Central Bus Co. will close two city locations — terminating more than 300 full- and part-time workers.

School district leaders say they want to be prepared as bus driver shortages occur frequently, and usually without notice. They're also looking for new ways to partner with vendors in the community to help cover bus routes and get kids to school on time.

Workers at Missouri Central School Bus say the company also pushes them to do the bare minimum to “Band-Aid” over glaring issues with brake systems and other mechanical problems.

Currently, school bus drivers 70 and older are required to take the school bus portion of the driver’s license exam annually for renewal. The bill passed Thursday would raise that age to 77.

St. Louis Public Schools' bus drivers called off en masse Monday and Tuesday after a noose was found last week near a worker's desk at Missouri Central Bus. Some drivers say its an attempt to keep them from speaking out against poor working conditions.