No bus problems Monday morning for IPS - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

Monday morning IPS students were taken to school without problem.  IPS spokesman John Althardt tells Eyewitness News all the drives showed up on time Monday to take students to school.

Indianapolis Public School administrators say they had been assured by Durham School Services, the company contracted to deliver 12 thousand students to and from school every day, that drivers will be on the job Monday morning.

Larraine Harris is not going to take any chances after she had to drive her daughter home when Durham drivers staged a walkout Friday. "Me being a mom, I had to call off work and leave early and go pick my daughter up from Tech," she said.

Harris was caught off guard Friday afternoon after protesting bus drivers didn't show up for work.  Drivers called off work in protest to a new state ruling that denied them unemployment benefits. Many of the drivers will have to repay hundreds, and in some cases thousands of dollars to the state.

"I'm gonna take her and have transportation for her to come home from school tomorrow until everything gets together," Harris said.

Late Sunday afternoon, IPS sent out a phone message to all parents, assuring them the buses will be on time Monday morning so students and parents should plan on a normal school day.

Durham issued a statement earlier Sunday: Managers have been working diligently on an operations plan that would cover a driver shortage if some drivers again decide to skip work.  But parents should plan to send their children to their bus stop as usual. Durham strongly believes students come first, and opposes the decision of any bus driver who puts personal interests ahead of the community.

While Durham understands that some drivers are frustrated by the State of Indiana eliminating their summer unemployment benefits, that matter should be addressed in an appropriate forum that doesn't impact school children.

Durham remains committed every day to the safe and reliable transportation of all Indianapolis students.