BY CLINT COMBS
At 13 degrees below zero, a dangerous chill gripped the Twin Cities, making it one of the coldest nights of the winter. Schools were closed. But that didn’t stop Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) from requiring bus drivers to show up for work on Feb. 18. Director of MPS Transportation, Jenna Dardis, sent a text message telling drivers to report to work.
“Good afternoon,
Due to the forecasted extreme cold weather predicted for tomorrow, Tuesday 2/18/25, there will be NO SCHOOL for MPS.
However, per the 320 contract, drivers should still come in for their 8 hrs. to do a variety of other things, or you may use a SICK day.
Stay warm and safe,
Jenna”
As temperatures continued to drop, bus drivers — many with decades of experience — said they were frustrated with how their concerns were being handled by the district. For some, the cold wasn’t the only issue; long-standing disputes over pay, working conditions, and management policies were already simmering.
One anonymous driver shared their frustration: “We get this message at six o’clock at night, the night before, on a snow day, when the schools are already closed. We knew school was off, but still, the message was, ‘Come in, we need to catch up on tasks.’”
Several veteran drivers, speaking exclusively under the condition of anonymity, described mounting dissatisfaction with the way the district has been handling both working conditions and contract disputes.
“I love my job. I really do. But things have gotten increasingly difficult,” said one driver, who has been with MPS for five years. “The drivers who’ve been here for 20 to 30 years didn’t receive the raises they were promised. New hires are getting paid more than drivers with decades of experience.”
This driver went on to describe how the district had failed to honor a tentative agreement made in June regarding pay raises. The disparity in pay between senior drivers and new hires, despite the experience, led to growing frustration. “I was promised a raise after my 90-day probation, but it never came through. Now I’m making less than new hires who haven’t even been trained.”
The driver also shared a troubling issue related to vacation time: “So what ended up happening was, in order to correct it, they said, ‘Okay, well, we’re gonna have to take it back paycheck to paycheck, right? But the other thing that I noticed is that I had not accrued my vacation time for an entire nine months. And then when I went to HR and said, ‘Hey, from this time period to this time period, my vacation did not accrue — it is unchanged,’ they told me, ‘Well, we see it in there, and that’s what it’s supposed to be,’ which is not accurate.”
Another driver, with over 20 years of experience, shared their concerns about the management’s handling of extreme weather conditions. “When it’s 40 below, they expect us to come in and do things like wash buses and catch up on tasks, but we’re not being compensated for it. We’re bus drivers, not bus washers,” the source said, referring to an instance where drivers were called in to work despite school closures. “We were told we wouldn’t be paid for that day’s work either. Some of us are still unpaid for that time.”
The source also expressed frustration over being asked to commute 80 miles from outside of Minneapolis to the depot, with no clear explanation of the additional tasks that needed to be completed. “It’s not just about the cold. It’s about being disrespected as employees.”
A third driver emphasized the disconnect between management and staff, pointing out the differences in how decisions are made. “There’s no communication. They send us texts and expect us to jump to attention, but there’s no proper dialogue. We’re expected to work under these conditions, and yet we’re not given clear expectations or the compensation we deserve.”
This driver, who wished to remain anonymous, pointed to the importance of union protection in a workplace that continues to disregard contractual agreements. “We’re a union shop. We have rules, and they can’t just do whatever they want. There’s a reason why these things are in our contract.”
The concerns over pay have been a consistent issue among MPS drivers. Many veteran drivers feel underpaid compared to new hires. “I’ve been here for years, but I’m being paid the same as someone fresh out of training. That’s not right,” said one driver. The discrepancy has sparked dissatisfaction, with some workers contemplating leaving the field. “They don’t value experience. They want to pay less for more.”
Beyond pay, safety was a top concern for drivers when the temperature dipped to dangerous levels. “When it’s this cold, it’s not just about us. It’s about the kids too,” said one anonymous driver. “We’re expected to transport children in conditions that might cause the buses to malfunction or even break down. It’s unsafe for everyone involved.”
MPS Response: As of now, Minneapolis Public Schools has yet to release an official statement addressing the concerns raised by the drivers. The district’s silence has only fueled further frustration among employees who feel their safety and well-being are being overlooked in favor of meeting arbitrary work demands.
“I want to express my concerns about the unprofessional conduct within the transportation department. Frequent rule changes, contacting us on personal days, and pushing non-emergency tasks like washing buses during school closures, disrupt our lives — especially as parents. Intimidation tactics and division among drivers are unacceptable. We deserve respect, fair compensation, and safety,” Mohammed, a driver, told the board on March 11th.
As a parent, Mohammed is home with her children while they do e-learning schoolwork online. “Washing buses isn’t an emergency,” Mohammed said. “Forcing us to come in when the roads are unsafe is unreasonable and absurd.”
“We were supposed to receive raises in July. Instead, we only received a 24-cent increase,” Mohammed added.
“Drivers have been told repeatedly, ‘If you don’t like it, you can leave. You are replaceable,’” Quincy Heckard, another bus driver, told the school board. “You watch the news, and it tells you not to be on the road if you don’t have to. But we gotta come in and do miscellaneous things at work.”
Heckard added, “I’m not a janitor, you know? I’m not a mechanic. I don’t do other odd jobs at work.” Heckard also told the board that supervisors for MPS transportation couldn’t clarify exactly what miscellaneous tasks were required. “They tell me that I have to use my sick time in order to make up for the snow days.”
Members of Teamsters 320 have filed a grievance over the lost sick pay, highlighting the inconsistency in how MPS has handled sick days during school closures. Heckard noted that MPS had paid drivers sick days for previous closures but did not do so for February 18 and March 5, further fueling frustration among drivers. Lisa Beck Executive Director of MPS Transportation did not respond to request for comment.
“You’re gonna pay us for the snow day on January 21st, but you tell me I gotta use my sick time on February 18th and March 5th.”
