More Privatization Woes: School Transportation

[Dirty Socialist]

Vandalia, Ohio hired First Student, a private company, to transport Vandalia students to and from school. However, First Student buses have been involved in four accidents already this school year. Parents are upset about this and are demanding a hearing about it.
Ain't privatization grand!
http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/news/local-education/district-disappointed-with-private-school-bus-comp/nhkqq/

[tech3149]

1. Just do a search for "first student bus problems" you'll have no end of stories to read

Our local school district privatized the bus service years ago to another company who was bought up by First Student. It's a fairly rural area so accidents aren't much of a problem but quality of service is nothing close to what it was when the service was all part of the school district employees. The other big problem is vehicle maintenance. Quality mechanics with the right resources can keep a vehicle running for decades without problems but outfits like First Student will put off repairs to the point the vehicle is almost impossible to drive.
Drivers? In my area competent and safe drivers aren't hard to find. My neighbor drove for them for a few years. She's a more than competent driver but I might question her judgment from time to time. The problem is what they pay can't offer a sustainable income. She could make more tending bar.

[marmar]

2. K/R

[belzabubba333]

3. this is why you cant outsource important jobs to the lowest bidder

[Initech]

4. Privitization ruins everything it touches. It's the opposite of King Midas.

With King Midas everything he touched turned to gold. With privitization, everything it touches turns to shit.

[mrdmk]

6. Missing the real story of King Midas

Everything King Midas touched turned to gold, including his food. The king did not live very long after that...

[surrealAmerican]

5. It's only privatization if they had a public system to replace.

It's not clear from the article if they ever did. Many school districts never did own their own busses or employ their own drivers.

[mrdmk]

7. People hired by a school district had been guaranteed a set rate of hours i.e. pay

School First does not make these guaranties. What happens is people do not have a set schedule, work split shifts, and job security is next to none. Not to mention, School First can make demands from their workers that put the students into dangerous situations.

Who ever says profits saves money has a serious logic fail...

[liberal_at_heart]

8. Democrats, stop going along with privatization of our schools!