Resident seeks council help after school district cuts busing, cites hazardous routing and 400-signature petition

A South Plainfield resident asked the borough council to intervene after the school district reduced student transportation, citing hazardous walking routes and a petition with more than 400 signatures.

Akshan Patel, who identified himself as a South Plainfield resident, told the council the Board of Education and district superintendent stopped providing transportation for some students within the two‑mile threshold and that changes did not adequately consider hazardous‑routing guidance. Patel said families identified commercial traffic zones, lack of sidewalks, bridge crossings and known offenders along walking routes and expressed concern for younger students who had bus service removed.

Patel said the group has attended multiple Board of Education meetings, escalated the matter to the county superintendent and prepared to seek state review in Trenton. He said the petition now has "over 400 signatures" and that district responses to parents' requests had ceased.

Mayor Anesh responded that determining hazardous routes is within the Board of Education's authority but said the borough would assist by contacting the superintendent, the school board president and Senator DiVincenzo/Deignan (name referenced as a local senator). The mayor asked Patel to email contact information to the borough so officials could follow up. The mayor said he could not guarantee changes but would seek the district's rationale and report back to the resident.

Why it matters: Changes in school transportation can create safety risks for students who must walk on routes parents consider hazardous; the matter crosses school‑district responsibility and municipal attention because routing and sidewalk conditions often involve local public works and police.

The council did not take formal action but the mayor offered to initiate contact with the superintendent, board president and state senator on behalf of the petitioners.