Bus drivers urge consistency in discipline and call out unresolved routing problems at Dayton Public Schools

Marie Winfrey, president of Local 627 school transportation drivers, spoke during public comment at the Jan. 13 Dayton Board of Education meeting to demand consistent discipline and immediate routing fixes.

Winfrey said a driver recommended for termination for failing to complete required post-trip procedures received a harsher recommended outcome than a previous driver who committed a similar infraction. She cited contract Article 8 — which describes progressive discipline and the conditions for termination — and asked the board to reconsider the recommendation.

"If we're going to implement these things and say that we are consistent, we need to be that way across the board," Winfrey said, arguing for uniform application of progressive discipline and raising concerns about potential disparate treatment.

Winfrey also said transportation routes have been problematic since the district’s route pick Aug. 4, 2025: overlaps and overloaded routes remain unresolved, pre- and post-trip times are insufficient, and drivers still cannot complete required safety checks. She objected to bringing a new third-party consultant to analyze routes when the union and district already have existing routing staff.

Board members acknowledged the concerns and asked staff to follow up; Winfrey offered to provide documentation to the clerk to support her claims.

Why it matters: Bus routing and driver discipline affect student safety, daily attendance and the district’s ability to transport students reliably. Union leaders asked for consistent application of contract discipline and for operational fixes before bringing a consultant to rework routes.