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Parents raise safety concerns after state moves parochial stops to depot; committee hears transportation complaints
Summary
Multiple parents told the North Kingstown School Committee that the state’s decision to move parochial/depot stops away from neighborhood pickup points created safety and access concerns for young students, prompting requests for the district and committee to seek remedies with the state.
Several parents and residents raised safety concerns during the citizen‑comment portion of the Sept. 30 North Kingstown School Committee meeting after the state assumed responsibility for parochial student transportation and established a depot stop several miles from some neighborhoods.
Jeffrey (last name not recorded), a parent, said the state’s depot stop for his children places 5‑ and 6‑year‑olds at an active fire station three miles from his home and that the depot uses centralized stops rather than neighborhood door‑to‑door or nearby stops previously provided by the town. “They do not check IDs about who is picking people up from this bus stop,” Jeffrey said, adding that families chose schools based partly on the prior transportation arrangement and are now facing daily safety and access trade‑offs.
Tim Conrad, another parent, told the committee that the change was announced with little notice and warned of practical consequences for families with limited flexibility: “A lot of the parents that are just getting by are gonna have life‑altering changes and not be able to bring their kids to school,” he said, noting automobile crashes, work constraints and illnesses can remove a parent’s ability to supply alternate transport.
Superintendent Dr. Duda acknowledged the district’s communication role but reminded the public that parochial (state‑administered) transportation decisions and depot stop locations are controlled externally. Committee members said they would follow up with the administration and explore options for raising parent safety concerns with the state and the town.
What the committee heard
- Safety at depot stops: Parents said depot locations are distant from neighborhoods and have minimal supervision; one parent said the depot the state selected is at a busy fire station and that pickup procedures do not require ID checks.
- Notice and access: Parents said the change was implemented with limited prior notice and that families who depend on neighborhood stops or town‑operated routes face specific hardship risks if they lack flexible work or private transportation.
- Equity concerns: Parents emphasized impacts on households with fewer resources, where additional transportation burdens may affect attendance and participation.
Administration response and next steps
The superintendent and transportation staff said they would collect the specific route and stop information from the families who spoke, and would coordinate with the state and town officials to clarify options. Committee members asked administration to report back with what the district can and cannot influence and to bring any feasible mitigation options to a future meeting.
