Busing Concerns Being Reviewed By District

Riverside School District officials are reviewing concerns raised by some parents about the district’s new bus system.

During a school board meeting last week at Riverside High School, parents said they were frustrated by overcrowding, older students riding buses with younger ones, and early morning pickups. Their sentiments stood in stark contrast to the praise most administrators heaped on the new system.

Assistant Superintendent Terry Weinmann said changes have already been made to alleviate overcrowding on some routes.

One parent at the meeting said the bus her kindergartner rides is so crowded that young students are sitting on the laps of the older ones.

Administrators said they hadn’t heard of those problems but would look into the matter.

“We’re in the process of reviewing the list of concerns,” Weinmann said. “We’ll certainly consider things that are amenable to change. I would hope to have a response out soon.”

Riverside and the Deer Park School District combined their bus routes this year to save money.

Starting times were pushed back for high school students and moved ahead for younger ones to accommodate the single routing system.

Some parents said their children are less responsive to learning in the early morning hours, and some don’t like their kids waiting for the bus when it’s still dark outside.

“That one is always a tough issue,” Weinmann said. “If you push back the time, then they’re going home when it’s even darker in the winter.”

, DataTimes