Illinois passes Teamster endorsed school bus safety bill

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/Channels/Story.aspx?ID=1709666

The Illinois House passed a school bus safety bill strongly supported by Teamsters Joint Council 25 and Teamsters Local 777. Governor Pat Quinn is expected to sign it into law. The measure stresses safety making it a top priority as school district award bus service contracts. It also broadens responsible bidding overall, according to Teamsters Joint 25 spokesperson Will Petty.

[Will Petty]: “We’re trying to insert language into the school code that promotes safety, not something that promotes our own personal contracts. We’re trying to increase safety and responsibility in this industry.”

Petty says the Teamsters are working hard nationwide with their “Drive Up Standards” campaign in school busing.

[Petty 2]: “We have found the campaign to be extremely successful, and have found school bus drivers to be incredibly receptive nationwide. Just recently the Teamsters nationally celebrated its three hundredth win of organizing school bus yards around the country. And that translates to about thirty four, thirty five thousand workers.”