Bus battle

The RGRTA and city school district today filed for an injunction to stop a ruling by the Federal Transit Administration. That ruling said public buses were being used improperly as school buses.

It's a dispute that affects thousands of Rochester City School students. Will they or won't they be able to ride RTS buses to school come this fall?

"This decision, if we were to change the process we have right now it really couldn't be done, it couldn't be done well to completely convert to a different transportation system within 30 days," says RCSD interim superintendent William Cala.

Cala says the district is working on alternative plans in case they don't get a stay of Monday's ruling.

That decision was a victory for Laidlaw union bus drivers. The FTA upheld a ruling that RTS buses were being used improperly as school buses. Union bus drivers have been arguing it's a job they should be doing and getting paid for.

The 12 year partnership between RGRTA and the school district is now up to the courts...they remain hopeful it will continue.

"I think if you look at what the regulations say, we believe very clearly we are providing the service within those regulations. We're filing today to ask for the injunction so we can continue to provide this service come the first day of school," says Mark Aesch of RGRTA.