Jefferson City School District experiences bus delays on first day
Some buses were delayed up to an hour during drop-off on the first day of school for the Jefferson City School District.
“We plan to do a full evaluation of our transportation process with First Student to assess the cause of these issues,” district spokeswoman Ryan Burns said. “It is not unusual to experience some delays on the first few days of school, however, we will work diligently between now and tomorrow to improve significantly.”
Some parents voiced frustrations about the delays. John Wells’ daughter and son both had delayed buses and their mother picked them up from their schools.
Wells said he thinks the district’s new start and end times caused the delays.
“They pushed the time change on us,” he said. “The fact that maybe they sold us something that they didn’t know they could do is disconcerting.”
He said the district cited a staggered bus system as a reason for changing the start and end times.
Tuesday was the first day the district implemented the new time schedule. Elementary schools start at 7:45 a.m. and dismiss at 2:45 p.m. High schools start at 8:40 a.m. and dismiss at 3:40 p.m. Middle schools start at 8:50 a.m. and dismiss at 3:50 p.m.
The district began posting the delays on its Facebook page Tuesday afternoon.
According to the post, Thomas Jefferson Middle School, Lewis and Clark Middle School, Jefferson City High School and Capital City High School afternoon bus routes were delayed by about an hour.
The post said that Callaway Hills Elementary, Lewis and Clark Middle School, Jefferson City High School bus number 203 was delayed about 50 minutes. Bus number 202, with Lewis and Clark Middle School, Jefferson City High School and Early Childhood Special Education, was delayed about 20 minutes. Cedar Hill Elementary, Lewis and Clark Middle School, Jefferson City High School bus number 212 was delayed a half-hour. Moreau Heights Elementary, Lewis and Clark Middle School and Jefferson City High School bus number 217 was delayed 30 minutes. The post also said that Belair Elementary, Thomas Jefferson Middle School and Capital City High School bus number 116 and bus number 117 were delayed 45 minutes. Lewis and Clark Middle School and Jefferson City High School bus number 216 and bus number 220 were delayed a half-hour. South Elementary, Thomas Jefferson Middle School and Capital City High School bus number 102 was delayed about an hour.
The district asked parents to wait 30 minutes after their child’s scheduled drop-off time before calling the school.
The district also posted the dismissal times, which are new this year. Elementary schools dismiss at 2:45 p.m., high schools at 3:40 p.m. and middle schools dismiss at 3:50 p.m. The Southwest Early Childhood Center dismisses at 3 p.m.
