NYC plans to pay for students’ Ubers, MetroCards if school bus drivers make good on strike threat

The city is preparing to issue “emergency” MetroCards and pay for students to take Ubers if a strike by school bus drivers isn’t averted by the first day of school.

Reimbursements of up to $200 per day for transportation to and from school will also be available to some families, the education department said Monday.

“Working families across New York City should not, and do not have to worry about getting their children to school every day,” Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement. “This administration is here to help ensure our children continue their educations uninterrupted.”

Bus drivers from some New York City school bus companies represented by Local 1181 of the Amalgamated Transit Union authorized a strike earlier this summer. The first day of school is on Sept. 7, just 10 days away.

According to the education department, some 80,000 students, including 25,000 special education students, could be affected by the potential bus driver strike. City officials said the strike would cover about half of the school bus drivers and attendants who serve public school students, and would affect about 4,400 routes across the five boroughs.

“Make no mistake, this is a labor dispute that will have deep implications for some of our most vulnerable student populations and their families,” said Schools Chancellor David Banks.

Carolyn Rinaldi, the chief of staff for Local 1181, declined to comment on the city’s action plan.

The department’s plan includes free MetroCards valid for four daily trips Monday through Friday between 5:30 AM to 8:00 PM.

It also allows parents to seek reimbursement of 58 cents per mile for taxis, rideshares, and private vehicles with a maximum of $200 per day. Taxi costs typically start at $3 per mile, while Ubers average more than $7 per mile.