Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) is reshaping its Transportation Department after a turbulent start to the academic year left thousands of students waiting for bus assignments. On Sunday the district confirmed that Keba Baldwin is stepping down as director of transportation. Former chief operating officer Mark Fossett will serve as acting director and lead a newly formed transportation transition team.
Why the change matters for families
Superintendent Shawn Joseph emphasized that the leadership shift is about more than fixing a single week of problems. “It is about building the systems, capacity and culture necessary to provide families with the reliable service they deserve,” the superintendent said in a release.
During the first weeks of school, PGCPS struggled to assign routes for an estimated 10,000 students who were still on the original bus‑assignment backlog. A 27‑member surge team, supported by transportation staff, worked through the weekend to clear that backlog and assign routes to every student awaiting service.
New focus under the transition team
Fossett and his transition team will concentrate on three priority areas:
- Stabilizing bus service to ensure consistent, on‑time pickups and drop‑offs.
- Improving customer service so families receive clear, timely communication.
- Addressing critical vacancies within the department to maintain adequate staffing levels.
The district also announced a route‑optimization phase aimed at correcting routing errors, reducing long ride times, and adjusting stop locations for greater efficiency.
How families can stay informed
Updated bus assignments are now available through the Chipmunk mobile application and will soon be accessible via ParentVUE after system synchronization. To further engage parents, PGCPS will hold a telephone town hall on Wednesday at 6 p.m., offering families a chance to discuss transportation operations and ask questions directly of district officials.
While the district did not label Baldwin’s departure as a termination, it noted that he will assist with the transition. The move signals a commitment from PGCPS leadership to restore confidence in school transportation and to ensure that families receive the dependable service they expect.
Looking ahead
With the surge team remaining in place to handle new enrollments, address changes, and routine transportation requests, the district aims to prevent future backlogs. The transition team’s efforts, combined with the upcoming route‑optimization work, are intended to create a more resilient transportation system that can adapt to the county’s growing student population.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
