WEST SENECA, N.Y. — As we wrap up this back to school week, some parents in the West Seneca School District tell us there are continuing problems with school bus transportation for their kids.
2 On Your Side tried to follow up with the school district Friday without much success. Parents say information is still an issue as well for them and their children.
During the midday hours we saw some activity Friday at the West Seneca Central Schools transportation department. But even with all those buses some parents say on this second day of school that again no buses picked up their children. Some add it is making them late for work without any real response from the district.
We heard that last night from parents as well regarding the first day of school transport and return bus trips home from school. Heather Proudman told 2 On Your Side's Andy Paden that "I think the communication is the biggest issue here. If somebody would have communicated that this was gonna be an issue and that they didn't just leave us hanging and then have no clue what's going on we could be a little more okay with the situation. But to just not have any idea where my kids are. It's nerve-wracking."
Thursday the district in a statement indicated a computer software problem with determining bus runs for students with delays and false errors.
So on Friday, after our calls to school board members, they issued a new statement of shared disappointment and an understanding of the negative impact on all involved. It also recognized the need for accountability for the failure as stated by the interim superintendent Dr. Jeffery Rabey who just started with the district in late July.
The district statement also said they were told the problem will be solved with expediency, and again, put forward a need for a full accounting to prevent future such difficulties.
A contracted transportation vendor for the district said it had no part in making up routes and that it just helped to supplement the busing fleet for the West Seneca district.
The West Seneca Bee publication reported notification delays with mailed out busing assigmnents for students and families in September 2022 whuich was addressed by district transportation staffers answering phone calls from anxious parents on Labor Day of last year. But reportedly there no major bus pick-up or drop-off issues last fall.