Overcrowding Public School Buses Angers Concerned Parents

Parents of students from Skiatook Public School raised concerns about overcrowding public school buses on a local social media site. Public school bus operators cite several reasons to explain the issue.

Public school buses were so overcrowded that children were forced to sit on the floor. The post has already been removed by administrators of the media site due to all the negativity.

Skiatook Public Schools possess 21 buses that run in the morning and afternoon to serve all schools in Skiatook, Oklahoma. Each bus can seat 77 students servicing more in the afternoon.

The discussion thread on the issue stated that overcrowding has been a concern brought up several times during School Board meetings. Unfortunately, there has never been an instance recorded of any member of the public raising the overcrowding issue during a School Board meeting in the last five years.

All public schools in Skiatook start and end at the same time everyday making it a challenge for public school bus operators. While buses pick up and drop off students in most locations, this is not enough.

Superintendent Rick Thomas explained that doubling the routes would mean doubling the costs. Most drivers are also teachers which means a staggered schedule will make it difficult for them to manage their route.

Mike Earp, Plant Operation Manager of the public school buses, explains that one of the bus routes was changed a few weeks ago. The new route catered to more students and another route in the afternoon was added.

No evidence was provided of students sitting on the floor on a moving bus. However, Earp did confess that he knew of a student standing while the bus was moving twice in a week.

Earp admitted that his company was negligent in such case. He went on to explain that the issue has since been addressed.

Despite being asked to comment, most concerned parents declined to answer any questions regarding the issue, according to Skiatook Journal. While parents were vocal on the social media thread; many did not want to get involved on record.

The issue of overcrowding is not limited to Oklahoma alone. Parents have raised the same concerns in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia citing driver shortage as one of the main problems, according to WSB-TV.