Jefferson County Public Schools bus drivers in the Louisville area are practicing hundreds of routes as the district prepares for the new school year and works to avoid a repeat of its 2023 transportation breakdown, reported WLKY News.
About 700 drivers continued rehearsing routes Monday before classes began Thursday. The district expects them to cover 640 routes and transport roughly 48,000 students.
The preparations reportedly follow widespread problems in 2023, when some students arrived home late at night, classes were canceled and drivers quit. JCPS has since made major changes to its transportation system and staffing. “We’ve been hiring a lot more people. And I think we’re retaining people,” said Rashaun Story, who trains district bus drivers.
Technology is central to this year’s rollout. JCPS is officially implementing the Traverse routing system after an earlier pilot program. The software reportedly replaces past provider AlphaRoute.
Story said via the article that the voice-guided system allows drivers to keep their hands on the wheel instead of consulting printed directions. “It’s been really nice,” he said. “The old-school way, we used to have to hold a paper. So now this just tells us.”
The district also launched My Ride K-12, a real-time tracking app that gives parents bus numbers, stop locations and scheduled stop times. Parents with routing or scheduling questions can call the district’s 485-RIDE hotline at 502-485-7433 for live assistance.
Story encouraged parents to speak with drivers if they have questions or concerns. “We’re going to make sure that your student is safe. If you want to come up on the bus, drivers are approachable. You can come up to the door and ask questions and concerns,” he said via the news report.
District officials are also reminding motorists about a new Kentucky law requiring traffic in every lane to stop when a school bus displays flashing lights and extends its stop arm. JCPS buses typically finish dropping off students by an average of 5:41 p.m. The district expects longer runs during the first few days of classes and has reportedly set an initial target of 6:59 p.m. for all students to be delivered.
Story stated that drivers’ work extends beyond transportation. “It might be the bus driver that’s making a difference in their student’s life,” he said.
Written with the assistance of AI.
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