Parents concerned with possible bus seat shortage
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JACKSON, Tenn. — With almost 8,000 students riding a bus in the Jackson-Madison County school system, one parent says there’s a seat shortage. Each day, the school system said more than 100 buses hit the streets. “There were about six or seven buses that drove by, and the first were just three to four students to a seat,” said one concerned parent who did not want to be identified. She tells WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News her high school student spent more than a week riding three to a seat on her school bus. She told her mom it was miserable and made a video with her cell phone. “The buses are just overwhelmed,” the parent said. She fears the rides aren’t safe for students. The Jackson-Madison County School System said overcrowding isn’t an issue for the transportation system. “For some of the stops we’ve had, you could go there with the anticipation of there being five or 10, and there’d be several extra students there,” director of operations and maintenance John Mills said. There are no federal regulations for school bus occupancy. The district said for elementary age students, their buses are made to seat three per bench. “Which means you could sit 72 children on that bus,” Mills said. The district said they allot 13 inches per bus seat per student. Mills said buses with more middle or high schoolers on board should have between 50 and 65 students. Bus routes also can be adjusted based on registration numbers, according to the school district. The Tennessee Highway Patrol inspects all school buses each year. The JMCSS said there are no safety regulations prohibiting three students to a seat.
