News Summary
Parents in New Britain are expressing frustration over significant challenges with First Student’s bus service, just a week into the school year. Numerous complaints about late pickups, wrong school drop-offs, and the impact on special needs students highlight a troubling situation. Incidents involving special needs children being taken to incorrect locations have raised concerns among families. Superintendent Dr. Tony Gasper has acknowledged operational issues and the district is seeking improved communication while First Student works to address the problems.
New Britain – Parents in New Britain are facing significant challenges with the bus service operated by First Student, just a week into the school year. Numerous complaints have surfaced regarding late pickups and drop-offs, with some students mistakenly transported to the wrong schools. These issues have particularly affected special needs students, triggering concern and frustration among their families.
One notable incident involved a mother whose son, diagnosed with autism, was mistakenly taken to an incorrect location. Instead of returning home after his school day in Waterbury, which ended at 3:30 p.m., the child did not arrive at home as expected. After contacting the dispatch for information, the mother learned that the bus had lost its GPS tracking. Utilizing iPhone tracking technology, she discovered her son had been taken nearly 40 miles away to Danbury. The mother was able to coordinate with both the dispatcher and the bus driver to reunite with her son at a 7-Eleven in Southington. The child reported distress from the ordeal, expressing he felt scared, tired, hungry, and in pain from the extended travel time.
Another case involved a parent whose nonverbal son, who relies on a wheelchair, was driven to the wrong school due to inadequate paperwork given to the driver. The boy was supposed to be taken to a school in Killingly but, instead, ended up in Plainville, arriving late at 10:45 a.m. This misrouting also had an emotional impact on the child, contributing to behaviors such as self-harm and emotional dysregulation. In addition, this parent experienced further delays when her son was left at school for two hours after the bus broke down on the highway.
Superintendent Dr. Tony Gasper has acknowledged the communication problems related to First Student’s operations and highlighted the company’s lack of preparation for the start of the school year. Reports indicate that late buses have caused children to return home hours past their scheduled times, leading to significant distress among families. The district is actively pursuing improved communication strategies to inform parents of any delays in a timely manner.
In response to the situation, First Student has issued an apology and recognized the difficulties related to timely transportation and driver availability. The company is addressing these challenges by bringing in out-of-state drivers and vehicles while also implementing incentive programs to attract qualified drivers. The school district is weighing the possibility of imposing financial penalties against First Student to ensure accountability for their services.
These issues with the bus company have been persistent since they assumed the contract for specialized transportation services back in June. The school district has formally notified First Student of their concerns and requested a comprehensive corrective action plan to resolve these ongoing problems. Parents have reported several incidents of their children being dropped off late or routed to incorrect locations, which has increased anxiety for both families and school staff.
This unfortunate situation underscores the critical importance of reliable and efficient transportation services for special needs students and the broader implications these challenges have for their education and well-being. As the school year unfolds, parents and school officials hope for improved communication and service delivery from First Student to ensure that all students receive the transportation support they rightfully deserve.
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Additional Resources
- NBC Connecticut
- Wikipedia: School Bus
- WFSB
- Google Search: School Transportation Issues
- WTNH
- Google Scholar: School Bus Service Issues
- NBC Connecticut
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Transportation Services
- CT Insider
- Google News: New Britain School Bus Problems
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