Published: September 06, 2009 12:29 am      

School bus safety concerns

We have been having problems with my grandson not wanting to ride the school bus. Yesterday my daughter met grandson’s bus on its return trip home and stepped into the bus to see how it was situated. What she saw alarmed her. The bus was filled with as many as 4 children to a seat. No wonder my grandson would come home each day with tales of pushing, shoving, and fighting taking place on his ride home.

My daughter called transportation who immediately told her that an additional bus would be added. When my daughter called the school to find out if he was going to be riding the original bus or the newly added bus the school had no idea which of these buses my grandson would be on.

She then called transportation and the phone rang 7-10 times, then gave a busy signal. This continued for some time. She was never able to reach anyone in transportation to find out which bus he would be on. She greeted the bus at the normal time and luckily he was aboard it.

As the family was discussing this matter my 13-year-old step son, who attends Northwest School, chimed in with his bus is so crowded that there are students STANDING in the isle holding onto the seats to keep from falling.

What is wrong with this picture? Are there no safety laws governing school transportation?



Julie Stokes

Meridian