SJSD looking into alternative bus routes during winter
By Jenna Wilson
Weather conditions in the area have interfered with school bus routes, and the St. Joseph School District is working on ways to tackle the issue and keep students and drivers safe.
Parents have voiced concern about delays and cancellations with school bus arrivals during inclement weather.
“We understand that there have been and will be delays a lot of times in these cases when the weather is bad,” said Shannon Nolte, director of nonacademic student services. “Sometimes our buses don’t run because of the weather when it’s too cold, the road conditions are dangerous and other similar reasons but we try to minimize that time where there’s going to be delays and make sure communication gets out as quickly as possible.”
Nolte said there have been problems with parents tracking their child’s bus route on the First View app due to issues caused by the weather, including some buses not starting, so they’re having to send a different bus on that assigned route.
School district leaders, alongside city officials, are now working to develop safer routes for bus drivers who are struggling to enter certain neighborhoods during hazardous weather.
“We’re going to try and devise a plan where we have alternate routes,” Nolte said. “The goal is to get buses out in safe spots and not have to get them into neighborhoods where it’s unsafe and it’s going to delay the routes any longer. We’re getting the maps and stuff from the city and once those are in, we will talk with First Student and the bus company and devise those routes and get that information out to the public.”
There is no timeline for when the weather-dependent alternative routes for school buses will be available, but the district is asking parents to be patient moving forward when routes are changed due to the weather.
“We’re in constant communication with the bus company,” Nolte said. “It’s multiple times a day, especially in this winter weather. We’re up before 5 in the morning monitoring those roads and we’re going to do our very best to get to your child safely.”
Parents are advised to keep track of their child’s bus route and look for changes on the app as it will be updated frequently.
If buses are going to be delayed for more than a few minutes, officials say parents should also have an alternative plan for their child and have them wait in the house or a warm place until bus drivers arrive.
