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LAUSD debate over $63M bus contract spotlights driver shortage, wheelchair-lift gaps and goals to shrink contracted services
Summary
Board discussion of procurement item for contracted bus routes focused on a driver shortage, fleet limitations for wheelchair-accessible buses, a proposed $63 million multi-year contract, and board requests for timelines and written goals to reduce reliance on contractors and increase district-owned capacity.
Board members and transportation officials on Jan. 27 debated a proposed procurement package for contracted school bus services that district staff and speakers described as necessary to fill gaps while LAUSD expands its in-house capacity.
A school bus driver with Teamsters Local 572 described on-the-job experience and urged continuity and safety for students. Director of Transportation Daniel Kang said the contract would support roughly 405 routes (including special-education and magnet routes) and that driver shortages and equipment diversity (the district cited roughly 19 bus models and a shortfall of wheelchair-lift-equipped vehicles) make contractors necessary now. Board members pressed for analysis of the long-term cost if services were brought in-house, timelines for fleet modernization (including greening the fleet), and a written plan to reduce contracted services.
The board's discussion acknowledged recruitment and retention barriers for Class A drivers, the additional land and yard needs to operate a larger in-house fleet, and ongoing strategies such as in-house training and grants to acquire more accessible and green buses. Some trustees asked staff to provide comparative cost analyses, year-over-year recruitment data, and clear milestones describing when and how contracted routes could transition back to district employees.
Multiple public speakers—parents, drivers and advocacy groups—testified about the importance of unionized contractors, the need for wheelchair-equipped buses for special education, and the broader goal of reducing privatization of LAUSD services. The procurement item moved and passed after questions; trustees recorded a mix of yes votes and at least one partial dissent noted during roll call to a sub-item discussed.
