As St. Louis school officials continue to struggle to get children to class amid a shortage of school bus drivers, the district said Monday it has suspended routes operated by a provider after having determined that the buses were violating safety standards.

A statement from St. Louis Public Schools did not name the supplier, but the announcement came days after the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that supplier Reed 2 Reed operated at least seven school buses that did not did not meet safety requirements.

The newspaper reported that one bus did not have the words “school bus” on the front and rear of the vehicle. Some did not have an extendable arm attached to the front bumper, or did not have a “Stop while bus is loading and unloading” sign required by state law, the Post-Dispatch reported.

Reed 2 Reed operator Kimberly Marie Reed declined to comment Monday when contacted by phone.

“This decision follows an extensive review that revealed multiple instances of failure to meet our contractual obligations and safety standards,” the district said, adding that it “is committed to holding all vendors accountable for compliance with the highest standards.

District officials “will review all contracts and vendor compliance regulations over the next 15 days” and a public report will be released Nov. 1, the district said.

Despite the announced suspension, the Post-Dispatch reported that two unmarked buses — apparently in violation of signage requirements — dropped off students Monday at Shaw Visual and Performing Arts Elementary School. A message seeking comment from the district was not immediately returned.

It was not immediately clear how many children were affected by the suspension. The district said alternative transportation has been arranged for some families. Others received gas cards to help pay for their own transportation.

School bus service in Missouri’s second-largest city was thrown into chaos just as the school year began in August, after three vendors pulled out at the last minute.

The district had already struggled to come up with a plan after the Missouri Central School Bus Co. canceled its contract for the 2024-25 school year in March.

The St. Louis district serves approximately 19,600 students. Unable to find a single supplier to replace it, the solution involved a combination of relying on other school bus companies, metrobuses, taxis and other shuttle services.

Missouri Central said in a statement in March that the company was seeking additional funding “to address unprecedented inflation in the industry and a nationwide shortage of school bus drivers.” The school district said the company is seeking an additional $2 million. When the district refused, Missouri Central withdrew.

In February, a black mechanic at Central Missouri said he found a noose at his work station, which he said was intended to send a racist message to intimidate him after an argument with a manager over his concerns about to the inadequate nature of the brakes on certain buses. Central Missouri officials said the racism allegations “caused irreparable harm to their reputation,” the district said in March.