Parents concerned over bus problems

JACKSON, Tenn — Just two days into the school year, and parents complain the bus problems are already piling up.

A photo taken from Bus 174 shows students having to stand up on the bus because there was not enough room.

“They said they had nowhere to sit,” Northeast Middle School parent, Danielle Finchum told WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News, Tuesday. “There were children sitting on the motor of the bus and even children standing on the steps.”

Finchum explained that for the past two days her two 7th graders’ bus that runs to Northeast Middle has been overcrowded, something the school system said they are working to fix.

“Its just a matter of, they may have to adjust the routes when they see how many students are going to be on each bus,” Marketing and PR Specialist for the Jackson-Madison County School System, Ginger Carver said. “The transportation department is looking at that daily.”

Meanwhile, another parent said her son was dropped off at the wrong place after the bus driver missed his stop, and was forced to walk miles to get home.

“He didn’t know how to get home,” Latonya Smith, who’s 9th grader was dropped off more than a mile away from his house and told to find his way home explained. “It was storming. We were under a tornado (warning) and he was, it hurt me so bad.”

The buses are something both parents want solved.

“You just feel like there’s nothing you can do except just feel like there’s nothing you can do except for take your children to school yourself,” Finchum said.

“They’re gonna have to get it together with the buses,” Smith said. “As a parent, I was just so hurt and I just don’t want it to happen to no one else’s child.”

The school system said they are looking into the student being dropped off at the wrong stop, but could not comment on it immediately.

They are confident any transportation changes will be fixed by the end of the week.

The school system said there are other issues they are working to fix, including 25 HVAC units out in buildings across the district, problems they believe should be fixed by the start of next week.