School Bus Bill of Rights campaign

Story

I co-founded Parents to Improve School Transportation (PIST NYC) in 2010, a volunteer group of caregivers of students who ride yellow school buses. The New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) and its Office of Pupil Transportation (OPT) ignored our warnings against harmful practices that caused a worker shortage even before Covid-19. Too many children are forced to be on the bus for over four hours a day; others miss school days entirely due to lack of a route. We see this as violating civil rights of access to education in the existing laws for riders with disabilities and those in temporary housing. The workers' job rights, and everyone's safety, are also being compromised by the emphasis on low bids from for-profit companies. We need independent oversight of student transportation by trusted representatives from the most affected communities. PIST and allies have drafted a School Bus Bill of Rights to apply solutions to these problems. We need funds and lots of help to get this placed on the November ballot as a referendum so you can Vote Yes! Money raised here, offline, and through grants will go to campaign supplies, office space, stipends/carfare for petitioners, and advertising in local media. Email [email redacted] for more information.