East St. Louis board hears warnings of stalled bus service as drivers, company and district spar over pay and contracts

Parents, a transit-union representative and district officials clashed over recurring bus delays and driver shortages at the East St. Louis School District 189 board meeting on Sept. 16, 2025.

The most urgent concerns came from a union representative who warned the board that drivers are prepared to quit and that children are being left without transportation. "A storm is coming," said Stanley Smalls of the Amalgamated Transit Union, who identified himself as an assistant trustee and said drivers were “getting ready to quit. Period.” He told the board operators feel mistreated and said community members reported buses failing to arrive for routes.

The issue matters to families, some of whom told the board they receive notice of delays long after they must already be at work. One parent speaker…