Bus drivers for the Lawrence school district voted in favor of joining the Teamsters Union on Friday.

A federally supervised election was conducted among 130 school bus drivers and bus monitors who work for the transportation company First Student. The election took place at the First Student bus barn, 1548 E. 23rd St.

The main issue of the election was for drivers to receive better wages and benefits.

First Student has a contract to provide bus service for the school district through the 2011 school year.

According to Wayne Zachary, contract manager for First Student’s Lawrence operations, the contract doesn’t appear to contain a provision allowing the company to pass along higher union wages to the school district.