In August, the Highland School District announced changes in the bus routes in order to increase efficiency and safety for the 2016-17 school year. Douglas Carter, Highland’s new director of transportation, said that cutting down on the number of bus stops would result in less travel time spent on the bus for some children, who currently spend as much as 40 to 50 minutes each way on the bus. And fewer bus stops would equal a safer experience for children, Carter said, because the data shows the most dangerous situation for kids around school buses is getting on or off one.
The planned 27 percent fewer stops along the way raised the ire of parents, who brought their complaints to the school board and administrators. Many felt that the changes would not only result in less safety, but would put their children directly in harm’s way by having them walk further to a bus stop and encountering traffic along the way.
The district responded to parental concerns by doing “a thoughtful and thorough review” of the situation. The result was a decision to restore last year’s bus stops.
Restored bus stops may be viewed on the district calendar at highland-k12.org.
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