Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Students cite overcrowded buses; GRPS hears electric‑bus, camera and tablet pilot plans
Summary
Students told the Grand Rapids Public Schools board that buses are overcrowded and unsafe; Dean Transportation outlined improvements including ZPass incentives, a pilot for onboard cameras and tablets, and a plan to deploy up to 15 electric buses next school year funded largely by federal and state grants.
Students and transportation officials pressed the Grand Rapids Public Schools Board of Education on Wednesday over crowded high‑school buses and progress on technology pilots. Union High School seniors Naomi Charlton and Josiah Robertson told the board that buses were “extremely overcrowded,” that drivers sometimes skip stops leaving students behind, and that scholars sprint down a hill in snowy conditions to secure a seat.
"Students should not have to risk their safety riding an overcrowded bus or feel the need to sprint down a hill in snowy or icy conditions just to get a spot on the bus," Josiah Robertson said during public comment.
The board then heard a…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
