VERNON, N.J. — Vernon Township School District’s superintendent of schools last week responded to a rumor that a bus driver who transports primary school students for the district had been smoking and drinking on the job.

The driver works for Havens Bus Co. and operates a route that serves Cedar Mountain Primary School and Rolling Hills Primary School.

According to students and parents, the driver had been smoking and drinking a beer while driving the children.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. John B. Alfieri said in a statement to Cedar Mountain Primary School and Rolling Hills Primary School parents on the district’s website that several professionals reviewed the surveillance tapes from the driver’s bus.

“The driver is not drinking nor smoking on the camera when children are present,” Alfieri added. “However, we have come to learn that on one occasion, he did smoke a cigarette after all of the children were dismissed for the day.”

He went on to say that this is both a violation of law and Vernon Board of Education policy, and it will not be tolerated.

“As your superintendent and a parent of two little girls in these grade levels, please trust in me that this situation has been dealt with and will not happen again,” Alfieri said.

Vernon Township School District Business Administrator Steven Kepnes told the New Jersey Herald that any disciplinary action would be up to the driver's employer, and an employee at Havens Bus Co. told the newspaper that the driver had been temporarily removed from the route.