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Parents press Monongalia board over bus pickups, cite regulatory stops and safety
Summary
Several parents described long, dark walks to bus stops and the absence of pickup on their roads. A resident cited Title 126, Series 92 sections on eligibility and stop placement; the board moved to discuss transportation at the next meeting.
Residents told the Monongalia County Schools board on Oct. 28 that some students lack safe bus service near their homes and that the district's stop locations force long walks on roads without sidewalks or lighting.
Ralph LaRue, who said he has lived in the county 46 years, told the board his son must walk about two miles on a dirt road to reach a bus stop and that he has lost work because he must drive the child to school. "It's just not safe for me or him to be walking on that road," LaRue said, citing lack of lights and sidewalks on the route and a 50 mph posted speed limit on a main road his son must use.
Howard Mearns amplified the complaint and cited specific regulatory language: "Title 126, Series 92, section 3.5 says all students living greater than 2 miles from their assigned school or nearest bus route are eligible for school transportation services. Section 11.6 says bus stops should be located to minimize students walking along roadway. Section 11.7 says bus stops should be located to minimize the need for students to cross the highway," he said. Mearns said the current stop does not meet those requirements and asked whether families can be reimbursed for driving children to distant stops and how absences are handled when transportation is unavailable.
Board discussion following public comment resulted in a motion to add transportation to the next meeting's agenda for staff follow-up. The superintendent and other board members said there has been some communication with transportation staff, but requested a full report back to the board.
What the board asked for: Mearns requested clarity on eligibility for transportation under cited rules, whether the half-hour walking time is included in allowable ride time, and whether families can receive excused absences or reimbursement when the bus stop is impractical.
Why it matters: Transportation eligibility and stop placement affect student safety and attendance and may impose financial burden on families. Cited regulations (Title 126, Series 92) provide standards the board can use to evaluate current routing and stop locations.
