ST. LOUIS – Donald Logan is the grandfather of Saint Louis Public Schools students and lives in the Penrose neighborhood of north St. Louis. He says reliable school bus transportation is critical for families in the district.

“It’s very important for the kids to get to school,” Logan said.

Some parents and grandparents have expressed concerns over whether the district is ready to provide adequate bus service when classes begin on Aug. 19.  

The district’s recently-hired superintendent was recently placed on a leave of absence and the district has been scrambling to address the abrupt ending of a contract with its previous bus service provider. 

Emily Grace lives in the Tower Grove East neighborhood, and she’s hoping for a better plan to address ongoing bus driver shortages and bus service that has had some issues in the past. She said she’s fortunate to be able to adjust her schedule to adapt to periodic issues but added that not all parents can do the same.

The district has shared details of a transportation plan that is available online. The plan includes changing start and dismissal times at some schools, the use of public transit, a consolidation of bus stops, and strategic routing. Parents already driving their kids to and from school are asked to opt out of the district’s bus service. 

“I feel like there are a lot of ‘Here are solutions,’ but I want to know for a fact what am I going to be doing,” Grace said.

Bus driver shortages have been an issue for SLPS for years.

“This is not the only district that is dealing with something like that,” Antionette “Toni” Cousins, SLPS school board president, said.

She is calling on all stakeholders to join in supporting the district as it prepares for the first day of classes.

“We’re ready for the first day of school,” she said.