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Parents, special‑education staff tell Paramount Unified board transportation change put students at risk
Summary
Multiple parents and a special‑education teacher told the Paramount Unified board that a switch from Fiesta Taxi to EverDriver disrupted routes, canceled rides and produced at least one video showing a driver handling a student roughly; they urged clearer contracts, training and better communication.
Parents of special‑needs students told the Paramount Unified School District board on Oct. 8 that a recent change to a new transportation contractor has left families without reliable service and, in one case, produced a troubling video of a driver physically handling a pupil.
"I am speaking to you today to express my deep concern regarding the change of the school transportation from Fiesta Taxi to EverDriver," parent Angelica Vasquez said, urging the board to explain what safety and training measures the district requires of the new vendor. Vasquez said transportation scheduled to start Oct. 9 for her daughter was canceled without notice and that she saw "a video where a driver of this new company was pulling a student who had thrown herself on the floor because she wanted to get on the old company's taxi." (Angelica Vasquez, public comment.)
Another parent, identified as Analia, told the board the change has harmed her son's attendance and emotional wellbeing and asked the board to "please take my voice into consideration" when making transportation decisions. Monica Rodriguez, a parent of an IEP student, described separate concerns about how school staff have characterized her son's disability and again raised frustrations over a lack of clear communication from the district about the transportation contractor.
Zamboni special‑education teacher Mari Sadi and other classroom staff also said staffing and support shortages make reliable, well‑trained transportation especially important for students with disabilities. Sadi described larger caseloads and fewer counselors and specialists available to help students when incidents occur.
District officials did not announce an immediate contract change during the meeting. Board President Anderson and staff said they would follow up with parents who provided contact information. At the meeting the board did not vote on the transportation contract; parents asked the board to report back with details about vendor training, driver screening and supervision.
What happened next: District staff said they would take parent concerns and follow up directly; the board did not set a specific public deadline. Several parents asked for clear scheduling, confirmation of assigned drivers, and assurance that drivers receive training to work with children with special needs.
Why it matters: Parents and staff said the vendor switch affects students who rely on daily, specialized transportation to attend school. Concerns raised at the meeting include reliability, driver training, communication with families and the district's oversight of contractors.
