Hundreds of union bus drivers and concerned parents rallied outside the Board of Education's Transportation offices in Long Island City Wednesday to protest recent cuts to local school bus service.

The board has eliminated up to 200 special education bus routes this year.

The drivers say the move has resulted in a number of job cuts and bus overcrowding.

"Kids [are] supposed to be allowed on the bus for one hour, not an hour and a half, not two hours,” said a protester. “So the sign means don't overload the buses. Don't have the kids on the buses for two hours. We have safety of the kids first, then pocketing the money."

"We'll continue to fight, and fight and fight, and we will not stop. And we will be back here again in one week if the Board of Ed doesn't do something," said another protester.

The Department of Education said it has compensated for fewer bus routes by moving more special education classes closer to where students live and by mapping out more efficient routes.

As for the job losses, a DOE official said, "Bus drivers who lost their routes understandably want them back, but we don't add buses that no one needs at taxpayer expense."