Puerto Rico Education Secretary Eliezer Ramos acknowledged that a gap in last year’s fiscal budget is currently preventing the department from paying school transportation companies. He put the debt at roughly $5 million. Federation of School Transporters president José Rosado said the debt for services before the current school year is $9.5 million, and that including September and October it could exceed $30 million, a figure Education has not confirmed.
The government has acknowledged pending obligations, some dating to 2021. La Fortaleza said the funds are budgeted and that Education submitted the request to the Office of Management and Budget (OGP). The Financial Oversight Board said on November 11 that it had not yet received the corresponding budget request from OGP.
Education said the process to address prior-year debts remains pending at OGP and that current-year payments are proceeding normally. Billing difficulties tied to the government’s new financial system, known as ERP, add to the reconciliation and budget-authorization steps. Transporters say the delays have hurt their ability to cover fuel, payroll and other route costs.
The Federation says one company operating in Carolina, Trujillo Alto and San Juan already interrupted service. Education said some of that company’s invoices were returned over discrepancies involving billed days when, per the agency, no service was provided. Rosado warned that 40 to 50 companies could stop operating without payment, putting transportation for 5,000 to 10,000 students, including special education students, at risk.