A school bus operator is speaking out after his company’s 54 bus routes were suspended by the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District.

Back in February, the English School District announced it was suspending its contract with Gladney’s Bus Ltd. due to fleet and operational safety concerns. A few days before the suspension, there had been a fatal accident involving one of Gladney’s school buses. There were no students on board at the time.

Josh Gladney has been the president of Gladney’s Bus Ltd. for 20 years. Now he is speaking out, saying the English School District has been using his company’s buses and drivers despite the suspension, and the company has not been paid. 

He says the NLESD has only been able to replace nine bus routes. He argues the district clearly determined that Gladney’s buses and drivers were safe to continue to operate.

As of March 31, Gladney says the company has not been paid for any of that work, despite providing the buses and drivers, as well as paying for insurance, fuel and other costs. Gladney has also continued to pay the drivers who aren’t on bus routes.