Transportation woes plauge Danbury schools

Students arriving 30 minutes after classes start. Buses stuffed with three students to a seat.

[george linebarger]

I don't know who STA thinks they are kidding, last year First student brought in 17 drivers from Waterbury everyday. they have known since they took the contract they would be short drivers. The school board was also well aware of this shortage. many drivers attended board meetings back in May warning Danbury this would happen, and now it has. good luck to all the parents in Danbury, i'll be really suprised if it gets better any time soon

[Suckered]

Wasn't this the company that offered the school district a big savings last year? Now we know how they got the savings.

[Students First]

The kids may be a little late and they may have lost a few along the way, but the Board of Ed is saving a ton of money...

Bring back Eddie Davis!

[Impressive]

"Transportation woes plauge Danbury schools"

One would think a large newspaper would employ a proofreader, or at least use a handy spell check program? Sigh...

As for the bus problems, every year there are problems. That hasn't changed and probably never will. Here's an idea: Pay the drivers enough money to entice new drivers! Just like a teacher shortage - but if the towns won't pay decent wages, they won't have the people who want to do the work. Cleaning up surely costs more than it would to just pay well to begin with.

[louann]

I'am really getting mad about the whole thing myself.My grandaughter just started kindergarten this year and today my older grandaughter got off the bus crying.Because her little sister was'nt on the bus with her.What kind of stuff is that anyway.That bigger sister should not have to get off the bus all upset.Should have had all your drivers before school started.I'am trying to be calm about the whole thing.But it got to be fixed and fast.

[Mz Thang]

God forbid one of these busses get into an accident. Three kids to a seat(even Middle School students)and some are even standing up for the ride home because they can't sit down. How can the drivers be so oblivious to the dangers of this.What about the schools they depart from. Everyone is turning their heads and making excuses. By the way, has anyone seen how slow they go threw the underpass on West ST./ Lake Ave. I guess the new company didn't know that was there when they ordered their new fleet. Wow....what a disgrace !!!!

[tchrclare]

Why didn't the bus company just hire the drivers who already new the routes? And by the way, the "new light" on Clapboard Ridge Road has been there since March 1, 2008.
It's a disgrace that the BOE tried to save $ and the results are the tax payers get screwed!
People should attend the BOE meeting on 9/10 and 9/23 and voice their displeasure!

[Sal]

Another scam on the public by the board of education. Who got the "tip."

[Marilyn]

Just wanted to say hi

george linebarger wrote:

I don't know who STA thinks they are kidding, last year First student brought in 17 drivers from Waterbury everyday. they have known since they took the contract they would be short drivers. The school board was also well aware of this shortage. many drivers attended board meetings back in May warning Danbury this would happen, and now it has. good luck to all the parents in Danbury, i'll be really suprised if it gets better any time soon

[concerned and confused]

First of all STA was voted in by the BOE. They knew that they had to charter 20 drivers from Waterbury to cover all of the runs that needed to be done last year. And even with those drivers they were still short, but better. Another point is that you are so worried about having 3 kids to a seat well the DMV has deemed that the bus seaats do infact hold 3 kids and there are 3 seat belts for every seat in the bus. Same as the back seat of many of the cars that you drive. Another point is that you are so quick to blame the drivers and the bus company for your children getting to school late, getting home late, or even not being picked up at all, they do understand! However there is one issue you have not realized. STA does not write up the run sheets that the drivers HAVE to follow. This is done by the transportation dept. at the board of ed. STA and the drvers are only doing what they tell them to do. If you are upset with how things are going then you should direct your concerns to the BOE not STA. Last years run sheets would've been a great help to the drivers and STA staff but due to the bitterness of the leaving staff from First Student they were all shredded. This way it would be harder for the new company to get the runs fixed sooner. The BOE needs to hear all of your concerns not the drivers who are trying their best to do their job and help their fellow drivers where they can. They maybe late but they do get there safely.

[WestchesterNativ e]

You get what you pay for. If it ain't broke don't fix it. They were warned this would happen.

[Sherpaguy]

I must say, I saw several comments warning of this by First Student drivers last year and they sure were right. Students arrive late, get picked up late, which means teachers have to supervise students later, which in some cases can mean them having to be paid to cover the late bus duty.

[****]

Brookfield's never had busing problems. The board of education in brookfield prides itself on zero complaints. Just ask them.

[Proud Buas Driver]

I was one who was against STA when we first learned they were in the running. I now know that they are so much better than First Student. They care about the drivers, are paying us a fair wage and doing their best to put safe drivers on the road every day. They aren't busing in people from out of town and paying them almost twice what they pay regular Danbury drivers while allowing those drivers to flaunt it in our faces.

George Has no bussines after the mess he left for our new dispatcher and manager to take care of. He took all the route sheet because"they belong to First Student". Because of course First STudents needed the Danbury Special Ed sheet for some other town. They took the routes and left us with nothing to base the specail needs bus routes on how low can you get. They left no dispatch sheet so all the drivers they claimed to care so much about now have to scramble to get the proper routes and work assigned to them. We also had drivers very loyal to First Student, the ones at the meeting in May say they would come drive for STA only to blow us off with a days notice. Not just one but 2 and a monitor who thinks she's big in the pto never show up because no one called to invite her back. BOO HOO to you. I say we'll be better without you anyway but First Student people sure wants us to fail pretty badly huh. Sore loosers!!

You should be ashamed George, in hiding somewhere, not posting comments on the Newstimes site with your own name even. Wow! Once a jerk always a jerk I guess.

Give us a week or so to be up and running with all Danbury drivers and you'll see we are a great company and the City can be proud of us. And please take note parents us drivers care about your children. If your childs still out there on a crowded bus at 5:00 so is that driver. That drivers been in that hot loud bus since 1:30-2:00 and is still there at 5:00-6:00 everyday because we care and want every kid home safe. WE care in Danbury about Danbury!!

[Ridiculous]

On the bus yesterday, a "monitor" supposedly hired to help out on the bus decided to use profanity in front of the students. Way to go, STA. My complaint was filed.

[Proud Bus Driver]

Hey everyone summer school was success here in Danbury. Please don't forget. We all have kids too. Our kids are waiting for buses too while we drive. I know this stinks right now but we've tried real hard to make this bad situation better everday and have made it better. We are Danbury people working for our city and trying our best. We can improve and do what First Student never could. Just try to be patient a few more days and you'll be plesantly suprised by how well we'll be doing in a week.

I am proud to drive a bus in Danbury and work with the great loving hard working people I do.

[a mom]

first of all noone should be blaming the drivers. we are 72 passenger vehicles, the boe puts the kids on a sheet and we have to bring them to and from school as long as were not overloaded we drive. most drivers have been servicing danbury through a few different companies its not us.maybe danbury should keep building and more and more people will move here and when the town cant keep up well just put the blame on others

[Proud Bus Driver]

Ridiculous wrote:

On the bus yesterday, a "monitor" supposedly hired to help out on the bus decided to use profanity in front of the students. Way to go, STA. My complaint was filed.

Your from Durham complaing about a Danbury bus?
Do you work for First Student???

[Betty Boop]

Proud Buas Driver wrote:

I was one who was against STA when we first learned they were in the running. I now know that they are so much better than First Student. They care about the drivers, are paying us a fair wage and doing their best to put safe drivers on the road every day. They aren't busing in people from out of town and paying them almost twice what they pay regular Danbury drivers while allowing those drivers to flaunt it in our faces.
George Has no bussines after the mess he left for our new dispatcher and manager to take care of. He took all the route sheet because"they belong to First Student". Because of course First STudents needed the Danbury Special Ed sheet for some other town. They took the routes and left us with nothing to base the specail needs bus routes on how low can you get. They left no dispatch sheet so all the drivers they claimed to care so much about now have to scramble to get the proper routes and work assigned to them. We also had drivers very loyal to First Student, the ones at the meeting in May say they would come drive for STA only to blow us off with a days notice. Not just one but 2 and a monitor who thinks she's big in the pto never show up because no one called to invite her back. BOO HOO to you. I say we'll be better without you anyway but First Student people sure wants us to fail pretty badly huh. Sore loosers!!
You should be ashamed George, in hiding somewhere, not posting comments on the Newstimes site with your own name even. Wow! Once a jerk always a jerk I guess.
Give us a week or so to be up and running with all Danbury drivers and you'll see we are a great company and the City can be proud of us. And please take note parents us drivers care about your children. If your childs still out there on a crowded bus at 5:00 so is that driver. That drivers been in that hot loud bus since 1:30-2:00 and is still there at 5:00-6:00 everyday because we care and want every kid home safe. WE care in Danbury about Danbury!!

Are you a bus driver because you have no concept of grammar?

[Proud Bus Driver]

We have drivers who have 80+ kids on a sheet from the BOE. Just a reality check for parents too. The BOE decides ton schedule everyday with 80+ students and prays they all don't show up to ride.Thats not STA that the BOE. It's broke and needs to be fixed but not by blaming the bus driver or the company hire to provide buses.
Time to take responsibility BOE