Glendale Unified remains with reduced bus service amid strike
As of Tuesday, a number of bus routes are again available to Glendale Unified parents who rely on school bus services for their children, but they are still being advised by the school district to arrange alternative transportation because a driver strike that began last week is expected to continue.
Glendale Unified officials were informed Thursday morning that Teamsters Local 572 — the Carson-based union with roughly 11,500 members — is on strike with First Student Inc., the company the district contracts with to provide bus service to local schools.
“We do not have any information about when the strike will end,” said Kristine Nam, a spokeswoman for Glendale Unified, in an email on Monday. “Our district is in constant communication with First Student for updates. However, the issue is between First Student and [its] bus drivers so it is completely out of the district’s control.”
Those affected by the strike include students at Clark Magnet High School and special education students across the district. Students scheduled for field trips, athletic competitions and middle school after-school sports programs could also be affected.
On Tuesday, the school district announced that nine of the 15 Clark Magnet bus routes are running, with First Student driving one route and two charter bus companies driving the other eight routes. She added that all Clark bus routes are expected to be running on Wednesday, with one First Student bus and 14 charter buses.
According to Nam, special education students were picked up on 23 out of 68 routes on Tuesday. Eleven more students will be picked up by a contract bus company on Wednesday. The district hopes to have 40 more students picked up by a contact company by Monday, Nam said, leaving more than 200 special education students without bus transportation.
“This is an increase of five bus routes from [Monday], which means some bus drivers are crossing the lines and returning to work,” Nam said. “We hope this number increases moving forward.”
District officials continue to work with First Student and charter bus companies to provide transportation for field trips and athletics, she added.
“All field trips and athletic trips have been covered for [Tuesday], and attention is moving to cover the rest of the week one day at a time,” Nam said.
Tardies and absences will be excused for students who normally ride the bus to school.
Twitter: @JeffLanda
