Cincinnati, Ohio-based First Student, a leading provider of school bus transportation to public and private schools, has announced its plans to close its Olympic Hills office in Lake City, Washington, following the loss of contracts with Seattle Public Schools.
The contract loss will affect 111 employees, including 99 bus drivers, 4 technicians, 4 supervisors, 3 dispatchers, and 1 clerk.
According to a company statement, "First Student will permanently discontinue approximately 60% of operations at 8250 5th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98108, and 13525 Lake City Way, Seattle, WA 98125 on August 17, 2026. It is anticipated that 111 employees will be laid off at these locations on that date. The entire facility will not be closed. The office located at 13525 Lake City Way, Seattle, WA, will close, and the remaining employees will operate out of the office located at 8250 5th Ave. S: Seattle, WA. This layoff is expected to be permanent. The layoff will not result in the relocation or contracting out of the Company’s operations or the employees’ positions."
Change is constant, and it's coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life, nor promises of a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something terrible hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, at any time, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. While many employees can read the writing on the wall, why do most assume it’s targeted at someone else? Are you now wondering, Am I Next?