Resident urges council to press district on hazardous school routes after busing reductions

Resident Mr. Patel told the South Plainfield Borough Council that changes by the Board of Education and the superintendent reduced transportation for some students and produced what he and other families consider hazardous walking routes. He said the district altered its hazardous‑route determinations and that petitioners collected more than 400 signatures seeking restored or safer busing.

Mr. Patel said those affected include children as young as five and described routes that cross areas with heavy commercial traffic and bridges that lack clear sidewalks. He said the district had continued to provide bus service to some students outside the new guidelines while denying it to others.

The mayor acknowledged that hazardous‑route determinations and school transportation policy are under the board of education's authority but offered to reach out to the superintendent and the senator's office and asked Mr. Patel to email contact information so borough officials could follow up. "Let me reach out to the superintendent," the mayor said, offering to ask the district for its rationale and whether funding or other constraints are driving the decision.

Why it matters: Changes to school‑transportation policies can directly affect child safety and family logistics. Residents said they had pursued school‑board meetings and state escalation without response and asked the borough to press for clarification and possible remediation.

Next steps: The mayor asked the resident to send contact details to borough staff so the mayor's office could contact the superintendent and Senator D's office. The borough said it cannot unilaterally change Board of Education policy but can advocate and seek clarification.