Seattle Schools Settle With Troubled Bus Contractor

SEATTLE (AP) – Seattle Public Schools will get $562,540 in damages and more accountability measures from its primary school-bus contractor.
The Seattle Times reports the School Board approved the agreement with First Student unanimously Wednesday evening following two years of significant delays and a driver strike.
The district’s three-year contract with First Student is worth about $90 million. Inconsistent service from the carrier required the district to spend millions supplementing service from other companies, including $1.5 million in payments to Tacoma-based bus company Durham School Services.
The district still agreed to the terms of the settlement anyway because “it will allow the parties to focus on working together to continue improvements in bus service for students while avoiding the uncertainty and cost of litigation,” according to the agreement.