DANVILLE, Ill. — The Danville school district’s hunt for a new bus company is still on. Most of the school board and many parents are on the same side of the issue. They’re fed up with transportation problems and said the district needs a new solution.
Parents said their schedules are repeatedly thrown off because buses don’t show up on time. The district has gotten used to hearing those complaints and wants to make sure they fix the problem.
“The day that I was like, ‘Okay I’m going to officially make her a car rider.’ I had got a call from the school saying, “your kids might get home 45 minutes late.” And for her that would’ve been an hour later,” said Brittney Isaac as she waited to pick up her daughter.
It’s an issue parents across the Danville school district have been dealing with for years. And it’s one the district has been trying to put an end to with a new company. They currently work with First Student.
“The vast majority of our issues are associated with the driver shortage and admittedly some communications errors we have on the day-to-day basis that we need to get better at,” said John Billigmeier, the senior vice president of the first student central region.
For the board, that answer wasn’t enough. Even though First Student is the lowest bidder. The district wants to see change and so do parents. They said they’re not comfortable sending their kids on the bus. Michael marquess said his girlfriend’s son has been forgotten about several times.
“We don’t want our boy getting left behind and something happening to him. If he forgets his phone at home, we have no way of knowing he’s stranded at a bus stop on a busy street,” said Marquess.
Some families have had to change their work schedules to accommodate. Others have had to find different solutions.
“I work a night shift schedule. So sometimes I have to get up with only three hours of sleep, two hours of sleep at sometimes, just to pick her up,” said Lee Johnson as he waited.
The district’s contract with First Student ends this summer. So, officials only have until the end of the school year to make their decision. Parents are hoping it’s the right one.
“I’m looking forward to it if they can do that. It’ll be easier for all the parents,” said Johnson.
The only other bid comes from north America Central. First students will have the opportunity to go back to the board with changes.