CHARLES COUNTY, Md. — School bus contractors in Charles County are warning parents about possible chaos on the first day of school next week. They say hundreds of bus drivers may refuse to work if the school system does not come to terms with the companies on pay and benefits.
"We're were not getting anything, pretty much," complained driver Carla Wade.
“I really am ready to walk, 'cause it's not fair," added driver Michelle Jones.
Tuesday the 24 independently owned local school bus companies that cover the vast majority of the bus routes in the county warned that their employees will not work for what Charles County Public Schools so far is willing to pay the companies.
Some of the drivers have joined the Amalgamated Transit Union which is demanding additional pay and benefits.
"My employees have said, 'I need job security, I need the security of an 8-hour day'", said Adam Dyson, owner of Swann Transportation, which provides bus services to Charles County Public Schools.
"It doesn't matter what I want. I have to do what my workforce wants to do. If they say I can't move forward under this agreement then my answer is OK."
The contractors operate more than 350 busses compared to the school systems' smaller fleet of just 30 busses.
But the county’s drivers get a guaranteed 8-hour day and better wages and benefits.
The contract drivers insist that anything less than a guaranteed 8-hour day and the same pay and benefits that the system pays its own corps of drivers isn’t right.
The school system has offered a 5% raise and a 7-hour day for the contractor drivers.
Moms like Pascale Small support the protesting independent drivers and say they’re ready for anything on August 28.
"We'll just stay home," Small said.
Charles County Public Schools serves nearly 28,000 students. They had to go back to virtual learning in October of 2021 when the drivers staged a 5-day sick out over the same issues which remain unresolved.
Late Tuesday, school officials said they had approved and 8-hour work day for contracted bus drivers and attendants. In a press release sent around 9:30 p.m., CCPS said they are working toward implementing a multi-year contract to avoid any issues as the school year begins.
"To avoid any disruption in transportation services for students and their families, CCPS has agreed to work with the CCSBCA to develop a multi-year transportation agreement with school bus contractors. Additionally, CCPS will increase the guaranteed paid hours for contracted bus drivers and attendants who cover a shift of four hours or more to eight hours for the 2023-2024 school year, regardless of if they work a full eight hours," the school district said.
School officials said they have agreed to a 45-day window for CCPS to address concerns raised by contractors and drivers, but CCPS does not anticipate any service interruptions when school starts next week.