Bus issues

[Anonymous]

My kid is in K so I don't know if my expectations are too high, but her bus is picking her up consistently at least 30 minutes late. She has not been to school on time yet, the bus often arrives up to an hour late to the school. I can't drive her every day. Is this normal? I have been calling my bus depot and they just tell me it will be on time tomorrow, then of course it is late again. I have sent a message on facebook to the PGPS transportation page, they haven't gotten back to me yet. What else can I do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is in K so I don't know if my expectations are too high, but her bus is picking her up consistently at least 30 minutes late. She has not been to school on time yet, the bus often arrives up to an hour late to the school. I can't drive her every day. Is this normal? I have been calling my bus depot and they just tell me it will be on time tomorrow, then of course it is late again. I have sent a message on facebook to the PGPS transportation page, they haven't gotten back to me yet. What else can I do?

Email the Principal. They school must know about the problem already but they have more leverage going to the Transportation office if they have a bunch of parents complaining about it.

[Anonymous]

And you don't have unrealistic expectations. 10 minutes late is one thing but 30 min late is unacceptable.
They often have growing pains at the beginning of the school year but it's been a couple of weeks now. Once winter comes, you don't want those babies to be out waiting for 30 min.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And you don't have unrealistic expectations. 10 minutes late is one thing but 30 min late is unacceptable.
They often have growing pains at the beginning of the school year but it's been a couple of weeks now. Once winter comes, you don't want those babies to be out waiting for 30 min.

+1.

Unacceptable

[Anonymous]

OP, it is usually because they do not have enough bus drivers, so one driver is assigned to run a route, then doubles back and go do another route. The bus supervisor knows this is a problem but has no more drivers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, it is usually because they do not have enough bus drivers, so one driver is assigned to run a route, then doubles back and go do another route. The bus supervisor knows this is a problem but has no more drivers.

This. I think they could be more proactive in notifying parents about the drivers, though. The bus was an hour late on Friday - we didn't get notified until it was 20 minutes past pickup time. They knew an hour before that (you know, when the route was supposed to start) about the lack of a driver. Instead of sitting at the bus stop for 30 minutes, we could have just planned to take the kids to school.

[Anonymous]

OP here. This is what has bothered me. There was one time where the bus was more than an hour late and I was sitting outside the whole time waiting. It blows. I have a preschooler that has to sit there with me on the corner of our semi busy road. If I knew it was going to be that late, we would have sat in the house for awhile, finished up some homework (she has a hard time writing without a desk so we can't do it at the bus stop yet), or I would have just driven her to school on time. I understand the shortages I just wish they would communicate better. Like I said, I don't know if I have unrealistic expectations. I did speak with our principal today and she had me email her so that she could forward it to transportation. Hopefully that will get someone to at least give me some info. It has been okay so far because the weather has been great, I am really not wanting to sit outside for an hour every morning with the littles once it gets cold.

[Anonymous]

Why not drive your child?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why not drive your child?

Because it is 25 minutes each way and I don't want to spend in hour in the car with my preschooler for no reason. When we signed up for the school they said that we would be provided bus transportation for free (I am sure I am paying for it in property taxes). I don't have the money to have to start filling my gas tank way more often by driving an extra hour a day. I don't mind doing it on occasion. I don't even mind if they combine stops and I have to drive to one nearby, it just isn't a great drive to her school and I can't imagine doing it everyday. I may have to reconsider and put her in the neighborhood school but so far I absolutely love her lottery school. I hope we can get it resolved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not drive your child?

Because it is 25 minutes each way and I don't want to spend in hour in the car with my preschooler for no reason. When we signed up for the school they said that we would be provided bus transportation for free (I am sure I am paying for it in property taxes). I don't have the money to have to start filling my gas tank way more often by driving an extra hour a day. I don't mind doing it on occasion. I don't even mind if they combine stops and I have to drive to one nearby, it just isn't a great drive to her school and I can't imagine doing it everyday. I may have to reconsider and put her in the neighborhood school but so far I absolutely love her lottery school. I hope we can get it resolved.

Do you mind if I ask which school this is?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not drive your child?

Because it is 25 minutes each way and I don't want to spend in hour in the car with my preschooler for no reason. When we signed up for the school they said that we would be provided bus transportation for free (I am sure I am paying for it in property taxes). I don't have the money to have to start filling my gas tank way more often by driving an extra hour a day. I don't mind doing it on occasion. I don't even mind if they combine stops and I have to drive to one nearby, it just isn't a great drive to her school and I can't imagine doing it everyday. I may have to reconsider and put her in the neighborhood school but so far I absolutely love her lottery school. I hope we can get it resolved.

Do you mind if I ask which school this is?

Thomas Pullen, it is a elementary school and middle school combined. That was the biggest draw for me, our neighborhood elementary school has potential but I don't think our middle school option is great. It was a big relief to know we are good until high school. The arts program is really cool too!

[Anonymous]

I know this is not the original issue but regarding Pullen- don't you have to audition in for middle school? So your kids might not even go there for middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know this is not the original issue but regarding Pullen- don't you have to audition in for middle school? So your kids might not even go there for middle school.

Incoming MS students have to audition. Kids who go there for elementary get automatic continuity into the MS program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know this is not the original issue but regarding Pullen- don't you have to audition in for middle school? So your kids might not even go there for middle school.

OP again- Like the PP said, if you are new to the school, you have to audition for the middle school. Prior to that it is all lottery, so kids can get in up until 5th without auditions. There are of course not many spots at the higher grades since it requires kids leaving the school for spots to be open.