East St. Louis schools change bus routes, drivers say problems persist
East St. Louis School District 189 is changing its bus routes weeks after drivers warned unresolved issues with Illinois Central School Bus — the company the district contracts with to transport its students — would backfire.
Citing an ongoing shortage of drivers and low ridership, the district eliminated seven bus routes and assigned students to alternative routes starting Tuesday. In a Facebook post announcing the change, the district said some bus routes may have more students and delays during the transition.
Districts nationwide grapple with bus driver shortages, but current and former Illinois Central drivers who demonstrated outside District 189’s administration building last month said the bus company is exacerbating issues.
The demonstrators alleged leadership at Illinois Central’s Caseyville site do not pay fairly, refuse to take grievances and have breached their union contract in other ways. They also spoke of high turnover, and how this results in students spending more time on buses.
In response to these concerns, Illinois Central School Bus issued a statement last month saying the company is committed to its contractual obligations, its employees and paying competitive wages, and the families it serves. It adds that Illinois Central and District 189 are actively working to provide uninterrupted services.
The union contract prohibits drivers from striking, and with problems persisting, the demonstrators urged District 189 to take action. But because drivers are employed by Illinois Central and not the district, the district has no authority to intervene in such matters, spokesperson Sydney Stigge-Kaufman previously told the BND.
Illinois Central School Bus Caseyville management did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday about the district’s new bus route changes.
Since the demonstration, more drivers have quit, said Marsha Jones, the Caseyville site’s union steward and former Illinois Central bus driver.
She alleges Illinois Central is now lengthening routes without paying drivers the higher rate for the extra work. More students are on the buses for longer periods of time, which increases the risk of conflict between students and other behavioral issues, Jones said.
“The driver can’t watch the road and watch the kids at the same time — it’s a safety hazard,” Jones said.
When asked about these concerns, Stigge-Kaufman responded with a statement.
“Each year following the first few weeks of school, we review and adjust transportation routes to maximize efficiency,” the statement reads. “It is standard practice for school districts to make these adjustments early in the school year based on actual ridership and usage patterns.”
After last month’s protest, Stigge-Kaufman outlined ways District 189 is working to combat the bus driver shortage.
“The district is actively collaborating with Illinois Central to address these challenges, including offering financial incentives to recruit new drivers and retain existing staff,” Stigge-Kaufman said.
District 189 families should watch for updated transportation assignments and contact transportation@estl189.com or call 618-646-3192 with questions, the district’s post says.
This story was originally published September 2, 2025 at 12:41 PM.
