School Supt. offers mixed review of early bus returns

The same transportation problems plaguing the Canton school district at the start of the last school year resurfaced this year as parents complained of late arrivals; some middle school students having problems finding seats; and some students spending an hour on the bus before arriving home in the afternoon.

While School Superintendent Derek Folan estimated that more than 90 percent of students are making it to school on time, he said that at this time of year — and after a year to work out the kinks with new bus contractor First Student — the figure should be closer to 100 percent. “I find [the current percentage] unacceptable,” Folan said.

Overall, Folan told School Committee members at last Thursday’s meeting that they have seen “significant progress” in Canton’s bus transportation this year compared to the start of 2022, with the great majority of the district’s 19 buses “running well and on time.”

“We paid special attention to route development and the safety of bus stops,” he said. “And we continued this work and made adjustments through the summer as new registrations and bus needs rolled in.”

Folan, however, noted that five days into the school year, there were still problems with some bus routes. He said it has been “extremely challenging and frustrating,” especially for the families and students who went through it last year. “It’s all pretty raw, and I think we all agree it’s unacceptable,” Folan said.

Folan said one key priority based on the recommendation of a transportation review conducted last year by an independent consultant was improved communication. To achieve better results in this area, he said the district added an office staff member to support Canton’s transportation coordinator. Folan urged anyone with a bus issue to email transportation@cantonma.org.

On current bus ridership, Folan acknowledged that four or five GMS buses currently have high passenger counts. And while the industry standard does allow for three students to a seat at the younger middle school grades, Folan agreed that is not the ideal ratio.

After hearing concerns about students standing up and being in aisles during the opening days of school, Folan said administrators took a close look at the data. “We found that we had some students on the bus that didn’t sign up for the bus,” he said. “Additionally, we found there was a social aspect versus a safety component. Students wanted to sit or be near friends, so they hugged the aisle or stood. Often times, there were seats available but maybe with a different grade or with someone they didn’t know. He added that based on available capacity, only one bus required a three-to-a-seat situation.

“Our GMS administration and staff have monitored the buses very closely and they ensure that every child is seated before the buses head out,” Folan said. “We understand that buses are full and that may be daunting for students, but every student does have a seat, as safety must be the priority. We also know that ridership may vary, so we are looking to move some students onto different buses to give some breathing room.”

On the issue of arrival times, Folan acknowledged that First Student has not demonstrated a 100 percent success rate. Specifically, he said several CHS buses have been arriving “right at 8 a.m.,” while Luce and JFK have periodically had a later bus. However, two Hansen buses, C19 and C15, have been “routinely late,” he said. “We are working with First Student to address the timing issues,” noted Folan.

Going forward, Folan said top priorities include monitoring overcrowding on all GMS buses. “We will be checking temporary bus passes and ensuring all students have signed up for the bus,” he said. “We will also be communicating closely with GMS staff and working with First Student to keep track and make changes where necessary.”

Folan noted that there has been an unanticipated number of students signing up late for transportation in the last six weeks. As a result, he said they may need to make “considerable adjustments” in routes to accommodate …

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Posted by Mike Berger on Sep 14 2023. Filed under News, Schools. Both comments and pings are currently closed.