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Parents report bus‑stop and notification problems; district says app may not work when substitute drivers cover routes
Summary
A parent described repeated safety and notification problems on a district bus route; drivers and retired transit workers said bus routes include students with medical needs and that drivers face tough conditions. District leaders noted the bus‑tracking app may not provide accurate information when substitute drivers are used.
A Saint Francis parent told the school board on Sept. 22 that her child’s bus stop was moved without clear notification, and that she had raised safety concerns after video evidence showed a driver not using signals and failing to stop properly.
“I have asked the multiple people I have spoken to…to please correct me if I’m wrong at any time, but that has yet to happen,” the parent, Hailey, said during the public‑comment period. She described repeated incidents in which safety signals were not used and said her child had to “cross the road behind the bus.” She also said a stop was moved two blocks on busy roads without adequate notice and that phone calls to transportation staff were met with “attitude.”
Retired commercial‑vehicle driver Michael Ross, who later said he trained school‑bus drivers, told the board that bus driving is difficult and that training usually takes “four to eight weeks.” He said he had stepped down from a bus driving job because of safety concerns and urged support for strong driver training.
A retired RN who identified herself as a bus driver explained that many special‑education bus routes include students with seizures and wheelchair needs, and that educational assistants are present on sped buses to manage medical and behavioral needs. “Most I would say most of the EAs or most of the buses, MET buses, have at least 1 child that has a seizure activity or diagnosis,” she said.
Superintendent Susan Anderson acknowledged parents’ concerns and said the district is addressing specific complaints raised directly to staff. Anderson also said the district’s parent app, which parents use to locate buses, can have limitations: “I don't think it can give that information when there's a sub driver,” she said, explaining the app may not track substitute drivers on a route.
Transportation staff, drivers and board members who spoke during the meeting emphasized the complexity of routing and the difficulty of running transportation at the start of the school year, noting new kindergarten enrollments and last‑minute changes that force route adjustments.
Ending: Board members said they will continue to work with transportation staff to address individual safety complaints and to investigate app behavior when substitute drivers cover runs. No formal action on policy or staffing changes was taken at the meeting.
