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thomasrider
Senior Member
53 Posts |
 Posted - 01/16/2009 : 2:43:11 PM
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Eliminating schoolbus routes not only increases pedestrian dangers, but also adds that many more potentially-stupid drivers to the road for every bus seat that isn't available anymore. The small cost savings on cutting busing is only being passed in additional costs for gasoline, wear-and-tear on personal vehicles, road maintenance, collision costs, traffic jams, and pollution.
Almost nobody was driving out of the school parking lots this afternoon, and traffic around the schools was very light, which is a nice change. It seems that many students have switched to riding the buses lately, which are slowly being upgraded with the SafeGuard seatbelt systems. That's a lot safer and more efficient than forcing students and parents to wake up and drive themselves twice a day when they used to use the bus routes.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/01/16/school.bus.cuts/index.html
When budgets plummet, experts say, administrators look to cut costs. Busing is easy to ax because its connection to the classroom is indirect.
Of North Royalton High's 1,700 students, about 1,000 are now being dropped off and about 400 drive themselves, the principal said. The remaining students walk or bike when the snow allows, or they catch rides with friends.
Kathy Dapsis is now picking up her son, Dylan, 15, who used to ride the bus, and said she feels sorry for the scores of students walking home because many streets don't have sidewalks, leaving them to traverse the shoulder or roadway. It also troubles her that they're walking in heavy traffic and freezing temperatures.
More danger on the roads is just one cost of cutting buses, said Mac Dashney, a consultant with the Pupil Transportation Operation and Management Institute.
Standard buses carry between 65 and 77 passengers, he said, so for every bus you take off the road, you're adding 30 to 40 cars, meaning more fuel consumption, pollution and wear on the infrastructure.
Though the first week went relatively well, there were hitches, he said, namely a fender bender and an "overanxious kid" who pulled out of the school and collided with the car of a grandparent arriving to pick up a student. |
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mr.dave
Advanced Member
USA
414 Posts |
Posted - 01/17/2009 : 11:20:42 AM
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| As long as there is a well managed school bus program there is no problem with children getting to and from school. If there is no problem it is a waste of tax payer money to run so many bussses. So to save money it is wise to cut bus service. As soon as children start being injured, kidnapped and killed the bus service will be restored. I've gotten too old for this ####. |
Shiny side up, greasy side down |
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JK
Top Member
USA
7307 Posts |
Posted - 01/17/2009 : 2:06:34 PM
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Children are that school district's top priority, unless, of course, it costs money. Is the school district in this thread's story reimbursed for busing? If so, then the cost is very affordable, when considering the additional cost to maintain the streets, and the increased issues with traffic around the schools. This simply can not be escaped - a standard school bus replaces 30-40 cars according to studies. That alone give lend to providing the service, before considering the children's lives saved riding the bus. Don't know how many lives are saved, can't count that. Can only count the dead, abducted and horrifically injured. Confounds me sometimes the lack of management to know the reality. I often think these sorts of districts need a change in management, not an elimination of service. When our district attempted to contract out, not end the service, even then parents intervened, recalled board members and forced out some of the administrators. In these sorts of situations I know of no other way to keep a service running without help from the parents. (jk)
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Students, communities pay when schools cut busing
