Bus route changes not as easy as anticipated

Friday, November 20, 2009

By HATTIE BERNSTEIN

Staff Writer

HOLLIS – It looked like a simple case of too many empty seats on a couple of school buses, a situation easily resolved by eliminating a route and reassigning students to avoid running half empty buses.

But after informing parents of middle and high school students of its decision to eliminate route 5 in Hollis and route 7 in Brookline, the cooperative school board realized that what looked as easy as adding one plus one, was far more complicated, and potentially contentious.

The announcement of the reduced bus routes included a directive that restricted what student riders are allowed to carry to what fit on their laps. That meant that any child carrying a musical instrument, a gym bag, and a backpack would have to find alternative transportation.

Superintendent of Schools Susan Hodgdon sent a letter to parents several days before the bus routes were eliminated, explaining that students would no longer be able to ride other buses, except in the case where a custody arrangement required them to live in two households and that extra bags would need to be limited.

On Nov. 6, in response to calls and e-mails from concerned parents, the school board held a special public meeting to discuss the issues.

“The concern was, band is a credit course and they need to bring their instruments home for practice and back to school on days when they have band,” Janice Tremblay, the cooperative school board chairman, said.

Tremblay said that some parents complained that it was difficult for them to drive a child to school if they had to be at work, or at home caring for a younger child.

“Must parents drive students to and from school on band, sports, and school project days, or drop off and pick up their gear?” asked Bill Beauregard in a letter to the board.

Beauregard is a Hollis School Board member and the parent of a middle school student who carries a trumpet, sports bag and backpack.

He said in addition to carry-on bags, he was concerned about seating capacity, given the adult-size of many students.

According to regulation, he said, the school buses can accommodate up to 71 children, or 46 adults. Since so many students are adult-sized, however, there is likely a need for more seats.

According to Hodgdon, last year the board voted to cut two bus routes, one last school year and one this school year. The process was long and involved and delayed the removal of either bus route until both were removed Nov. 2.

“We took the money out but nobody notified the bus company, and we went over budget,” said Tremblay.

Said Hodgdon, “The board voted, directing the business administrator and superintendent to remove one bus in fiscal year 2009 and (another) in fiscal year 2010, and it happened on Nov. 2. The business administrator was working on it.”

The decision to remove the bus routes was made, Hodgdon said, because school board members and others had observed “partially filled” buses, with often as few as 26 riders for between 45 and 47 seats.

What anecdotal evidence didn’t consider, however, was the change in daily riding patterns, including the times when a student, working on class project with a classmate, would take the friend’s bus home after school.

“The issue of transportation and properly structuring our bus routes is complex and dynamic,” Hodgdon said during a phone interview this week.

Following the complaints, the school board revised its bus rules.

“They voted to allow musical instruments, gym bags, the whole nine yards,” Tremblay said, adding that passenger limits will take into consideration the fact that many students are adult-sized.

“We’ve got to get the kids to school, and we’ve got to get them there safely,” Tremblay said. “If it works, fine, it stays. If we determine it needs to be re-addressed, we return one or two buses back.”

The board plans to “continue to monitor the situation” to enable it to adjust, based on “actual needs,” Hodgdon said.

She said it would cost the district $34,000 to operate the two bus routes for the remainder of the school year. Those funds, however, are not in the budget.

Hattie Bernstein can be reached at 673-3100, ext. 24, or hbernstein@cabinet.com.