New bus routes causing problems for parents
LAKE CHARLES, LA (KPLC) - Parents all over Calcasieu parish are preparing to send their kids off on the school bus tomorrow for the first day, but there are some major changes leaving parents in a bind at the last minute.
The school board has begun using a new software that maps out bus routes based on efficiency, using a database of all addresses of eligible riders in the system.
A lot of parents are seeing some major changes to the routes so close to the first day and are becoming frustrated.
"Very frustrated and learning a day before school starts that I'll have to make other arrangements, it's just not fair," said one parent Sharon Wright.
She lives just under a mile from her 9-year-old boy's school. Wright was just notified they live too close to the school for busing.
"They recommended he walk on 171, I would never have a child walk on 171," said Wright.
She now has to make arrangements for someone to stay with her other disabled child while she drives her son to school.
"I don't think this new routing system is making a lot of people happy," said Wright.
She isn't wrong.
Parents have been flooding Facebook with complaints about the last-minute route changes.
Parents are just now learning about the new software that is mapping out the bus routes and Chief Operating Officer, Shannon LaFargue, says that's because they encountered a few issues this summer.
"There's a lot of unknowns there are a lot of new subdivisions we really don't know how many new kids we'll have in the school district," said LaFargue.
This new system takes all the addresses in the schools' databases and generates an efficient route, combined with feedback from drivers.
What does this mean for parents right now?
"They can expect initially, at least while we roll this out, for the first two weeks, a wider range of pickup and drop off times," said LaFargue.
One reason is that all eligible riders will be in the system, so bus drivers are required to stop even if the student isn't riding.
There are a lot of new students registering the first day, too, so more stops will have to be added.
Also, there is a driver shortage causing a lot of split routes.
LaFargue says these are growing pains that go away with time.
As for parents like Wright, the school board says next week, there will be walk zone hardship forms for students under a mile that still feel like they need to take a bus. These will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Any parents with questions about their child's route can call their respective schools.
Due to the extended pick up times, the board says no student will be marked tardy and breakfast will be served later. Students will also be directed to the correct bus at the end of the day by staff.
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