Students continue to wait for their bus in the rain 30 minutes after the dismissal bell rang. Photo by Norah Lubeck.
By Norah Lubeck and Oliver George
DPS’ bus routes are back to “normal.”
The DPS rotational Bus system ended on Jan. 17, after being extended from mid-December. The change was a temporary solution meant to provide more consistent transportation for students.
Prior to the change to rotational services, parents at various schools complained that there were inconsistencies with the bussing systems. Riverside, specifically, constantly had bussing changes and late notices to students that their bus would not be running.
DPS considered “express stops,” where bus stops would be consolidated. However, this meant that some students would have to be transported to other DPS schools they do not attend to be taken to their school. Chief Operating Officer Larry Webb said in a board meeting that the decision was tabled after community backlash but could return later in the 2025-2026 school year.
The most significant change is the new “Family Responsibility Zones.” The district implemented them on January 21 in areas less than 1.5 miles away from a school. DPS will no longer offer bus privileges to students who live in Family Responsibility Zones until further notice.
“The DPS Board of Education may establish walk zones that extend for up to a one and one-half mile radius around a school,” according to the DPS website. “In accordance with state law, school bus transportation is not offered within these zones and families are responsible for choosing their mode of travel to and from school.”
Currently, only elementary schools have Family Responsibility Zones.
The solution was meant to work around high-traffic areas and areas with high-speed limits.
“The state has described standards that school districts can activate to make families responsible within a certain radius or area around the school that the family is responsible for getting their student to school,” School Board member Millicent Rogers explained during a phone interview with The Pirates’ Hook.
Rogers thinks the change will take some time to get used to.
“Change is hard,” she said “There are some challenges to overcome and it’s gonna take some time.”
However, Rogers believes it’s a better solution compared to the rotational system.
“Compared to rotational, yes, this is the ideal situation,” she said. “Families that have the privilege to live closer to school have the opportunity to do something different. [This allows] the district to provide more consistent bus service for people who live further away from school.”
Although DPS leaders said the bus system is now back on track despite changes, some Riverside students said their buses still aren’t running on time.
Sophomore Derrick Parker is still facing trouble getting to school. Parker’s bus frequently arrives around 10 a.m. Junior Honesty Jones also said bus transportation remains unreliable.
Other students have given up on the bus completely.
“I tried to ride but I found another way,” said senior McKenzie Sneed. “I wasn’t getting to school on time.”
Sneed now rides to school with her mom or takes an Uber to school.
The buses have been problematic since the beginning of this school year. Last August, Superintendent Anthony Lewis foreshadowed the bus delays.
“There are going to be some bus delays but as time goes on we will be more efficient,” Lewis said during his first board meeting.
At the Jan. 28 Board meeting, Lewis noted that driver shortages are a national problem and cited a survey that suggests 88% of responders across the country reported driver shortages.
“[I’m] asking our community to assist us and just honor our [current] bus drivers,” he said.
