School bus drivers may go on strike as early as Monday morning, leaving yellow bus riders to find an alternate way to get to school, the city warned parents today.

The threatened system-wide strike by Local 1181 bus drivers stems from the Education Department's bid for a new contract for buses which transport special needs pre-school students to school. The current contract expires in June 2012 and the union is asking for job protection for its workers in the event that their current employers don't get the bid.

The city considers the strike illegal and is seeking a federal court injunction against it.

The DOE has issued contingency plans for families who rely on yellow bus service. In most cases, schools will provide children with MetroCards; children in grades K-2 and special needs students who get door to door service, may also get a MetroCard for a parent or guardian.

Here's the protocol that will be put in place if the strike occurs, according to the Education Department:

  • "For all students who currently receive yellow bus service from a designated school bus stop to school , we will be issuing Metrocards. Metrocards are being made available at schools and should be requested through the school’s general office. We have already informed the Transit Authority that it may need to accommodate additional riders. We also ask families to consider alternative means of transportation to school in case of a disruption.
  • Parents of pre-school and school-age children with IEPs requiring transportation from their home directly to their school , as well as parents of children in grades K-2, may request a Metrocard for the parent or guardian to act as the child’s escort to school.
  • For pre-school and school-age children who have an IEP requiring transportation from their home directly to their school , we are offering reimbursement for actual transportation costs. Parents who drive their children to school will be reimbursed at a rate of 51 cents per mile. Parents who use a taxi or car service to transport their child to school will be reimbursed for the trip upon completion of reimbursement forms that include a receipt for provided services. Requests for reimbursements should be made one week at a time on forms that will be provided in schools’ general offices. The forms will ask you to indicate on which school days alternative transportation was taken and whether it was taken for both the morning and afternoon commute. Reimbursement forms as well as receipts should be sent to the Transportation Reimbursement Unit at 44-36 Vernon Blvd, Long Island City, NY 11101.
  • Field trips using yellow bus service will be cancelled if there is a bus service disruption. After school programs will remain open, but no busing will be provided."

Check the DOE's website for updates, or call the transportation hotline at 718-392-8855.