“What, you are late to class?” 2,700 students delayed by insurance issues

Public school authority suspends bus operator’s agreement after discovering insurance issues

“What, you are late to class?” 2,700 students delayed by insurance issues

Motor & Fleet

By Allie Sanchez

Almost 3,000 Detroit students had to get late passes last Tuesday after the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) suspended the bus service of one of its transportation suppliers.

The DPSCD discovered that the school buses supplied by one of its four transportation concessionaires were not properly insured to ferry 2,700 students to and from the 30 schools affected.

Local media outlet WXYZ reported that the school authority was given notice that the vendor Safeway did not have the proper coverage for its transport activity late Monday.

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As a stopgap measure, DPSCD coordinated with the Department of Transportation under the initiative of interim superintendent Alycia Meriweather to avoid class disruptions. 

The school district’s three other suppliers, ABC, Trinity and DHT, stepped up to the plate and agreed to take the students from 67 affected bus routes to school on top of their regular load. However, the emergency caused a 90 minute delay in the students’ arrival to their respective schools. Parents were notified of the delay and provided with a hotline they could call to make clarifications on the matter.

The superintendent expressed her gratitude to the staff for working an extra nine hours to make sure the students made it to school for the day.  

DPSCD is currently seeking a long-term solution to the matter.


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