School district offering solution as West Allis students face late, overcrowded buses

NOW: School district offering solution as West Allis students face late, overcrowded buses
NEXT:

WEST ALLIS, Wis. (CBS 58) --- Back to school is off to a bumpy start for families in the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District. Parents are complaining about over-crowded and late buses.

Ten to 15 West Allis Central High School students were left stranded at their bus stop near 63rd and Lapham. On Tuesday the bus was already full by the time it made it to their stop. Some students decided to walk and others got rides.

“Someone dropped the ball,” Parent Tania Leaf said. “There are too many kids and not enough room on the bus.”

Parents said on Wednesday the bus wasn’t full, but was 20 minutes late, forcing one student to miss school breakfast.

“He said 'well, I guess I won't be able to have breakfast,' which was disheartening,” Leaf said.

The West Allis-West Milwaukee School District said they know about the bus issues and have a solution. In a statement they said:

"On Tuesday, September 4, 2018, (the first day of school) the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District was informed that Route 13 was overcrowded on its morning run to West Allis Central High School.

As a result, on Wednesday, September 5, 2018, First Student Bus Company provided a bus that ran Route 13 twice consecutively (picking up one group of students at 7:10 a.m., then circling back to pick up the second group of students at 7:25 a.m.) Parents of students on Route 13 are being contacted this evening regarding adjusted route assignments that will balance ridership.

The West Allis-West Milwaukee School District has 34 bus routes that started running yesterday.

During the first few days of school, the District works closely with First Student Bus Company to make any needed adjustments."

Parents tell CBS 58 they were not notified about the change Wednesday morning, but some were called on Wednesday night to update them saying their children will be on a new route Thursday that will arrive around the same time as their previous route.

“I hope they fix it by tomorrow,” Parent Starr McDonald said. “There are kids getting taken from their homes. I don't want to leave my son on the bus stop not knowing if he's going to make it to school safely and on time." 





Share this article: