Prince George’s County, Md. – At a heated Board of Education meeting Thursday night, Superintendent Dr. Shawn Joseph took responsibility for the district’s chaotic start to the school year, labeling the transportation rollout a “leadership failure” and assigning the district an “F” for its handling of school bus service.
Parents and drivers demand answers
Frustrated parents and bus drivers voiced concerns over days of late and missing buses, incorrect routes and a crash of the new Chipmunk bus‑tracking app on the first day of school. “My concern is safety for our children, and as you know, fall is coming and it’s dark out,” parent Phyllis Wright said.
Bus driver Cheryl Davis of ACE‑AFSCME Local 2250 added, “We want to do our jobs, but we can only do what we can do. We’re not getting the support that we need.”
Scope of the problem
About 10,000 students began the year without assigned bus routes. A shortage of drivers forced some routes to be combined or doubled, and many families are still waiting for permanent assignments. The district is directing families to use the BusPlanner system to locate eligible nearby stops while they wait.
Superintendent’s response plan
Joseph announced a multi‑phase response. In the first phase, the district will add four routing technicians, an additional scheduler and a routing supervisor, and will provide intensified technology training for staff. He pledged stronger communication with families and said staff will work around the clock to clear the current backlog and assign affected students to routes by Saturday.
Joseph cautioned that clearing the backlog will not solve every issue. The next phase will focus on stabilizing the system, reducing lengthy bus rides and correcting inaccurate or inefficient routes, a process that will take additional time.
Looking ahead
The Board will continue to monitor the situation and consider further actions to ensure reliable transportation for all students as the school year progresses.
Original reporting: Arlington County | FOX 5 DC — read the source article.
