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NYC parents frustrated by school bus delays
Parents across NYC are frustrated as school bus delays continue to affect their children's ability to get to school on time. Many families report waiting up to an hour for morning pick-ups, with concerns about a bus tracking app that's failing to provide real-time updates. FOX 5's Arthur Chi'en has the story.
NEW YORK CITY - A month into the new school year, many New York City parents are saying they are fed up with bus delays that are causing children to miss the start of classes.
Some families wait up to an hour or more for their bus to arrive, leaving both parents and students frustrated. Dawn Akerley, whose 6-year-old autistic son Jace relies on the city’s school bus service, says the delays have become a daily struggle.
"The bus should be a very simple, straightforward thing. Pick the child up, buckle them in their seat, and arrive at school safely in a timely manner. I’m not sure where the disconnect is," Akerley said, adding she has lodged over 20 complaints about the tardiness.
The Department of Education rolled out the NYC School Bus App back in January,
Jace’s school is just 20 minutes away, but the bus ride sometimes takes over two and a half hours. Akerley says she finds herself checking for the bus about 10 times each morning.
What is the NYC School Bus App?
The Department of Education rolled out the NYC School Bus App in January, designed to help parents track buses in real-time.
However, many users say the app is unreliable, with a rating of just 2.8 stars on the App Store. Parents have described it as "useless" and "a disgrace," saying it frequently fails to provide accurate information.
"The students are stuck waiting for a long time. It’s heartbreaking. I talk to parents all the time who just want their children to get to school, which is a happy place for them," said Education Committee Chair Rita Joseph at a recent City Council hearing.
City officials blamed the app’s issues on bus drivers’ difficulties logging in, suggesting that drivers may need extra training.
Joseph said the committee has requested more data from the Department of Education to better understand the delays, but so far, there’s no timeline for when the information will be provided.