NEWS RELEASE CORRECTION -- San Diego Unified School Bus Service On Normal Service (NOTE: CORRECTS AREA CODE FOR PUBLIC TELEPHONE NUMBER)

NEWS RELEASE from the San Diego Unified School District, April 27, 2011
SCHOOL BUS SERVICE ON NORMAL SCHEDULE
SAN DIEGO -- School bus service for the San Diego Unified School District is on its normal schedule today.
About 20 routes, involving fewer than 500 of the 18,000 students transported daily, are running 30 minutes to an hour late. District Transportation Department staff has called parents and guardians of affected students; parents/guardians can also call (858) 496-8460 if they have any questions. (NOTE CORRECTION OF AREA CODE IN TELEPHONE NUMBER)
Furloughs of certain classifications of bus drivers are under way, however transportation staff is covering those routes with other personnel certified to drive school buses.
The delays today are caused by drivers calling in sick. According to Gene Robinson, Transportation Director, the illness rate today is lower than an average day.
An amendment to the Memorandum of Understanding with the bus drivers' union was approved by the Board of Education at Tuesday's meeting. That amendment allows for more flexibility in furlough days for drivers. All district staff has been taking furlough days this school year as a result of budget reductions.
School bus service is provided for only a portion of the 135,000 students in the San Diego Unified School District. Special education students and those students who attend schools other than their neighborhood campus -- such as Magnet, VEEP and those choosing to attend other schools under No Child Left Behind -- are eligible this school year under certain conditions. San Diego Unified does not provide bus service to a student's neighborhood school.
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NOTE TO REPORTERS AND EDITORS: Transportation Director Gene Robinson is available for more information at (858) 496-8710. When releasing a telephone number to public, please ask them to call (858) 496-8460 for information.
Jack Brandais
Media Relations
San Diego Unified School District
(619) 725-5570 (desk)
(619) 607-0477 (cell)
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