IPS buses running on schedule Monday, but there may be some delays
Arika Herron Vic Ryckaert
Indianapolis Public Schools buses ran mostly on schedule Monday, just days after drivers called in sick in an apparent labor dispute.
"IPS is happy to share that all district buses are running on their normal route today, March 2," the district said on Twitter. "There may be potential delays due to some driver call offs. Thank you all for your patience."
An IPS spokesperson said that 30 drivers and bus monitors called off on Monday, compared to the 95 who called off and disrupted service Friday.
The state's largest school district canceled bus service abruptly Friday morning after those 95 drivers and monitors called in sick. While the district does have some substitute drivers available, there weren't enough to cover the call offs and service all bus routes. Schools stayed open, but the district didn't count absent kids who couldn't make it to school.
Only about 14,000 of the district's 32,000 students were in class Friday.
The job action was an apparent protest to an IPS decision last month to switch transportation service providers at the end of the school year, when its contract with Durham School Services expires. Durham has been covering about two-thirds of the district's bus routes, with IPS covering the remainder itself.
Starting July 1, the district will outsource all of its transportation services to a new provider, First Student Transportation.
What happened:Why drivers called in sick, causing IPS to cancel bus service Friday
Local officials for the union representing the drivers, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said the widespread call-offs were not part a union-backed effort to disrupt services.
"AFSCME understands that many employees are frustrated by recent decisions made by district leadership," the union's statement said, "and some employees may be acting independently based on these feelings."
Hundreds of drivers and bus attendants — employees who assist special needs students on buses — will lose their jobs in the switch but the district has said it hopes to help transition them to the new provider.
IPS said it has been working with the union that represents the drivers to ensure a smooth transition. It is offering incentive bonuses, up to $2,000, for employees who "maintain strong attendance" through the end of the year.
IPS said the offer was originally made to AFSCME drivers on Jan. 24 but employees weren't notified immediately by union leadership because they wanted to negotiate other points.
The union gave authorization to the district to proceed with the loyalty bonus on Feb. 27, according to an IPS spokesperson. IPS said that if every employee qualified and received the bonus, it would cost $350,000.
The IPS school board will need to take a formal vote on the bonuses at a meeting next week.
First Student, the new provider, has also agreed to offer an additional $1,500 to drivers who transitioned their employment to First Student while being in good standing with IPS, according to the district.
First Student has also agreed to recognize the current seniority of IPS employees when they transition to First Student and said that no current IPS employee who transitions to First Student will see a pay cut.
Contact IndyStar reporter Vic Ryckaert at 317-444-2701 or vic.ryckaert@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter: @VicRyc.