Judge ends transit agency’s school service

U.S. District Judge David Larimer ruled Wednesday that New York-based Rochester-Genesee Regional Transit Authority (RGRTA) must discontinue its school bus operations as of Oct. 1.

In January, the FTA ruled that RGRTA was providing illegal school bus service for the Rochester City School District (RCSD). It found that RCSD had replaced 80 routes previously operated by Laidlaw Education Services with similar routes contracted to the transit agency. The FTA reopened the case in April.

In July, the administration reiterated its earlier decision and ordered RGRTA to cease and desist operating school routes. It also fined RGRTA an amount equal to what the transit authority had made on the school routes during the 2006-2007 school year. RGRTA then filed suit in District Court for an immediate stay and a permanent injunction against the FTA’s ruling. Judge Larimer denied RGRTA’s appeal, granting only a short stay of the ruling until Oct. 1.

Larimer allowed the scheduled transportation to stay in place for one month, allowing Laidlaw to cover all necessary routes.