ZACHARY — Bus drivers working for a private company that transports students in the Zachary School District are dealing with maintenance problems and broken air conditioning on some buses, according to the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1546.

The union represents drivers employed by First Student, the private company Zachary uses to transport children.

George DeCuir, the union's president and business agent, said the problems have existed for weeks and that the union contacted OSHA to report the conditions.

"It's safe to say that the conditions are pretty bad. The working conditions are deplorable," DeCuir said. 

"And as stated, we're transporting the actual youth. These are the kids whose minds are still being developed, who are seeing things unfold, and the way they shape the future is actually playing out in front of them," he said.

DeCuir said drivers who have refused to operate a bus they believe is unsafe have been sent home without pay.

The union alleges First Student agreed to post a notice telling drivers they do not have to operate an unsafe bus, but that notice has not been posted.

Decuir said what drivers want is straightforward.

"They just want comfortable working conditions. They want adequate air-conditioned buses, buses that are effectively running properly and when it's cold, buses that have heat on them," he said.

The union held a labor-management meeting with the location manager on Sept. 1 and requested documentation about bus conditions. DeCuir said that documentation has not been received.

DeCuir said drivers at other agencies the union represents are handled differently when safety concerns come up.

"Between the other transit agencies that we represent, CATS and LSU, we have none of those issues," DeCuir said. "It's being made that if we do have those issues, the operator is actually able to report the bus and they're not sent home without pay."

Zachary has about 173 bus drivers at the location. DeCuir said many drivers are afraid to formally document their complaints because they fear retaliation from their employer.

When WBRZ contacted the Zachary School District, officials denied the accusations and said the district is not aware of any unaddressed issue affecting transportation on a specific bus. First Student also sent WBRZ a statement regarding the claims:

The safety and well-being of the students we transport is our highest priority. First Student is committed to supporting Zachary Community School District with transportation service that families can count on each school day, and we take concerns about our buses seriously.

Extreme heat in southern Louisiana during the first months of the school year can place significant strain on school bus air-conditioning systems. When temperatures approach 90 degrees and above, AC systems are working under very challenging conditions. School buses also operate differently than passenger vehicles: they travel at lower speeds, make frequent stops, and doors open and close repeatedly throughout routes, all of which can make it more difficult to maintain consistently cool temperatures inside the bus.

Our local maintenance team is continuing to inspect, service, and repair air-conditioning systems as needed, and we remain in close communication with the district to help ensure students are transported safely and reliably each day.