Board discusses bus-route plans for consolidated schools; transportation staff say no new drivers needed

The Harrison County Board of Education held a public discussion on how bus routes will change after planned school consolidations, with transportation staff briefing the board on planning assumptions, expected transfers and timing for route publication.

Transportation staff described the planning stage as ongoing and said the district expects to consolidate pickup points where student density allows, reduce unnecessary transfers and use routing software (identified in the meeting as "Perversa, our technology, which is a routing system") to build routes. Staff told the board they do not plan to request additional bus drivers and that existing drivers will be asked to transfer and assist with new route designs.

Officials said a spring unveiling is planned so parents can see proposed stops and times, but cautioned that initial routes will require on-the-ground adjustments after school starts because traffic patterns and parental drop-off behavior can change run times. Board members raised questions about specific neighborhoods (examples cited in the meeting: Rosemont, Clarksburg Country Club and areas near 19/98) and whether attendance-area changes or route redesigns might be preferable to ad hoc route shifts.

The transportation presentation emphasized safety and minimizing time on buses while noting that some transfers may be necessary. Staff said they plan dry runs without traffic to refine timing before routes are finalized.

Ending: The board did not take a formal vote on bus routes; staff were asked to continue planning and present proposed routes in the spring so families can preview stops and times.