Bus Strike Hits Boston

05:58

October 08, 2013

Boston school busses sit idle behind a chain link fence at Veolia Transportation, the city's school bus contractor, in Boston, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2013. About 600 school bus drivers have gone on strike affecting most of the school district's 33,000 students. (AP)

For the first time in more than twenty years, Boston school bus drivers went on strike today — angering city officials, and complicating the lives of school administrators, parents, and more than 30,000 students across the city. Some of them took public transportation to school. Others were picked up and delivered by Boston police.

The bus drivers are upset over changes in their health care plan, pay roll problems, and other grievances with the transportation company that runs the busses. Boston Mayor Tom Menino called the strike "illegal," and said the city has gone to court to force the drivers back to work tomorrow morning.

Guests

Jack Lepiarz, WBUR reporter.

This segment aired on October 8, 2013.