Howard County School Bus Drivers Vote To Go On Strike: Reports

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Howard County school bus drivers voted to go on strike Thursday after rejecting a contract from Zum Services, according to a report.

Howard County school bus drivers, van drivers, attendants and trainers who are employed by Zum were asking the company to provide them with livable wages, WBAL reported. They held a rally early last month.

The drivers voted to join Teamsters Local 570 earlier this year, reports said.

Zum is the largest employer of school bus drivers and monitors in Howard County, the company said in a statement provided to WMAR early last month. Zum currently operates 143 general education buses, 41 specialized buses and 13 vans, totaling 197 of the 548 vehicles used to transport students for Howard County Public Schools.

Last month, during ongoing contract negotiations with Zum, drivers said a strike would be their last resort.

"We're full-time employees with part-time pay, and that's not right," Tanyia Watts, who drives in Ellicott City, told WMAR, "And a lot of our workers are homeless. Some of them have trouble getting to work, can't afford to feed their families, and that's not right."

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.