South Allegheny school district seeks injunction against transit provider,

The Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas has scheduled an emergency injunction hearing for 1 p.m. Tuesday over a dispute between the South Allegheny School District and its student transportation provider.

The injunction request, which was filed by the district on Friday, asks that Sun Coach Lines LLC, be required to continue providing its services to the district while the dispute is either mediated or an arbitrator or judge makes a decision.

Sun Coach’s president, David I.L. Sunstein, said on Friday that the company had terminated its contract with the school district after 25 years of service because of claims it was owed more than $800,000 — outstanding debt going back more than 10 months since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The district refutes the claim.

The district said that the injunction filed on Friday is the third that it has filed against Sun Coach — the two previous injunctions came after the company indicated that it would stop transporting students due to the dispute.

After the two previous injunctions were filed, the district claims Mr. Sunstein and his attorney promised the judge that the company wouldn’t cut off services in the middle of the school year, so an injunction was unnecessary. In a letter to parents on Sunday, the district said South Allegheny schools will continue to be open for instruction, but that all student transportation to and from school must occur through a parent or guardian while the district seeks alternative transportation services.

The district’s nonpayment issue began in March, when the school transitioned to remote learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a statement from Sun Coach.

Mr. Sunstein’s attorney, Ray Middleman, said Monday evening that Sun Coach’s contract with the district states that the company will satisfy all of the district’s transportation needs for a set amount of compensation — about $1.4 million — for the year and broken down into 10 monthly installments.

Mr. Middleman said that the yearly rate does not change depending on how many buses the district needs or how many in-person school days occur during the school year.

Mr. Middleman said Sun Coach continued to operate on standby in case schools reopened and provided transportation for the district’s parochial, charter and special needs students in fall 2020, but the district refused to pay the company in full.