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South Brookline parent urges district to adjust bus schedules after low ridership
Summary
During public comment at the Oct. 9 meeting, Jennifer Roberts urged the committee and administration to investigate why many South Brookline families signed up for bus service but do not use it and to consider schedule changes that better match student needs.
Jennifer Roberts, a South Brookline parent, addressed the School Committee during public comment at the Oct. 9 meeting and urged the district to investigate low school‑bus ridership in South Brookline and to adjust schedules to better meet family needs.
Roberts said district staff had invited her to a meeting that day and that she planned to participate. Drawing on parental feedback, she suggested the most likely cause of low ridership is scheduling that does not match families’ needs — morning buses that arrive too early, after‑school buses that end at inconvenient times for students with practice or late‑day activities, and overcrowding on some runs. “When a service is being so radically underutilized, it seems to me that the next step is to determine why it is failing the community it is intended to serve,” Roberts said.
She recommended the district consider shifting morning bus times closer to school start and conduct a formal assessment of ridership patterns and schedule feasibility. Roberts framed the issue as one of equity, student wellness and environmental impact (fewer car trips if buses meet families’ needs).
Administration note: Wong said staff had already begun outreach and had offered a meeting; Roberts acknowledged that invitation and said she would participate in the follow‑up.
Ending: The committee did not take immediate action during public comment but staff said they would continue the discussion in follow‑up meetings with parents and administrators.
