News

Actions

Some kids heading back to school left with no ride to school

Posted

The schools that haven't started classes yet will be back in session Tuesday and that's too soon for some parents who just found out the normal way they get their kids to school is no longer and option.

As Jackie Dorcy watches her kids play at the Fantasy Forest park in St. Johns.

In the back of her mind she's trying to figure out how to get them to and from school when they head back Tuesday.

"He travels from his school which is in town to his daycare which is right outside of town," Dorcy said. "So the yellow buses don't go there and so he has to use the blue bus."

But this year those blue buses she's sent her son on for years won't do it anymore.

"I didn't find out they weren't performing transportation until [Friday] when I just went in to buy their ticket," Dorcy said.

And Dorcy and her family aren't alone.

Families who are used to taking Clinton county's transit system to send their kids to and from school will now have to find alternative routes to school. Since the the 'blue buses' are short four drivers and can't handle additional passengers.

"Last year 67% of our passengers were elderly," said Dawn Benson, general manger for Clinton Area Transit System. "48 and a half percent were disabled".

Instead of opening the doors for more kids they have to focus solely on their priority -- the elderly and handicap. For the time being, while they train more drivers.

"We are still offering transportation. We are still transporting people to and from all addresses in Clinton county," said Benson. "We're meeting the needs of many people. We are having to refuse some trips at this time."

She tells us that she now worries this new adjustment might hurt their chances of getting a "yes" vote on a new mileage they want homeowners to support.

"We try to be very kind and we try to offer them alternatives and make things available," Benson said on what they're doing for the time being.

But for parents like Dorcy, they're trying to find available options to get their kids to school when they're at work.

"You're trusting people to transport your tiny children, I mean you have to put a lot of trust in someone," said Dorcy.

The bus system is hoping to be back to a full staff of 20 drivers by winter and for the time being they're asking for patience.