Kansas City Public Schools dumps Daye Transportation after its buses fail safety inspections

Daye Transportation Services has been dropped as Kansas City Public Schools’ busing provider for Lincoln College Preparatory Academy, the district announced.

The district’s decision, announced late Friday, followed the results of a Missouri Highway Patrol inspection of 19 Daye Transportation buses. That inspection found that eight needed to be pulled from service until the company fixed the vehicles.

Natalie Allen, spokeswoman for KCPS, said Saturday that eight other buses had minor issues and three passed fully.

Officials with Daye Transportation were not available for comment.

The district’s Board of Education and Superintendent Mark Bedell said in a joint statement that the district would have to adjust bus times and routes and would try to minimize the impact.

“In light of the inspections made by the transportation commission, we have decided to break our ties with Daye Transportation,” the statement read. “The safety of our students is the most important thing to us, and ultimately, we have to protect them.”

The decision capped a week of difficulties between the district and the transportation company.

Some buses were late picking up Lincoln Prep students on Monday and Tuesday, resulting in students arriving for class an hour behind schedule.

This story was originally published August 20, 2016 at 11:47 AM with the headline "Kansas City Public Schools dumps Daye Transportation after its buses fail safety inspections."