AMBRIDGE, Pa. — Parents in Ambridge tell Channel 11 they’re frustrated that their kids are often getting to school late because their bus is picking them up after the school day has already started. The bus company said it understands, and is essentially working through growing pains and a driver shortage.
Michele Hoge typically drives her kid to school, or she said they get a ride with another friend. They don’t ride the bus.
Despite that, she gets a phone call from ABC Transit any time the bus is running late, especially in the mornings.
“They always say that the bus is going to be late, pretty much three times a week I get phone calls,” Hoge said.
Being picked up late has led to several issues for students in the district.
One parent emailed Channel 11 saying her kids were getting picked up at the bus stop at 8:45 a.m. That’s 15 minutes after the school day starts.
That parent said it was unacceptable for her kids to miss the start of each day.
Hoge said it’s definitely a concern.
“That’s why I bring them to school. That’s why they don’t ride the bus,” she said. “They’re late for school and then they walk into school, they miss half of their class when they’re rushing. Then they just get upset.”
Channel 11′s Andrew Havranek reached out to the Ambridge Superintendent for comment but has not heard back.
ABC Transit said the company is are aware of the issue.
They took over as the bus company for Ambridge this school year after Rhoades Transit closed.
Todd O’Shell, the Vice President of Operations for ABC Transit said typically they have six to nine months to prepare and take over for a school district. He said they had less than two months to prepare to take on Ambridge, Central Valley, and Freedom’s school bus routes.
He was unavailable for an interview but he did speak with Havranek on the phone. He said they are dealing with driver shortages, especially in Ambridge. Right now, they have to have drivers double back on routes. They pick up as many students as they can, take them to the school, then go back for the rest.
O’Shell said, “It’s not where we want to be, but it’s something we’re working hard every day at, seven days a week, to provide that service and improve it every day.”
ABC Transit is actively hiring, and a sign at the bus garage shows they are offering a $1,000 sign-on bonus to become a driver.
Parents hope they’re able to hire more drivers, and soon.
“I hope they do, for the sake of the kids,” Hoge said. “Being late for school is not something that helps them at all.”
O’Shell said the district has been working with them and understands the situation. He said they try to make sure the same students aren’t always the same getting to school late but said the students are not getting in any trouble for their bus being late.
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