As school year approaches, new bus routes put strain on parents

Eight days remain until students return to the classroom for the start of the 2023-2024 school year in Wake County.

This year, however, is starting with a whirlwind of emotions for parents, as the test of the county’s new bus route has parents stressed.

Earlier in August, Wake County Schools said all bus routes would be covered, but students could suffer academically as students would arrive after school starts for the day.

Chris Johnson said his son, Cooper, will be one of the students affected by the new routes, adding that Cooper’s ride is one of the longest on the list.

“It was a bit of a surprise to hear that they’d be missing up to about 30 to 40 minutes of what they call instruction in the morning,” Johnson said.

New Wake school bus routes posted for the 2023-24 school year

Cooper is a student at Dillard Drive Middle School and lives two miles away from the school, but on his bus route, he is the ninth stop out of 18.

Under the new route, Cooper would be picked up by 7:47 a.m. and wouldn’t arrive at the middle school until 8:40 a.m.

“To get to school half an hour late when we live about two miles from school is unacceptable,” Johnson said.

When school releases for the day around 3 p.m., but according to the new bus route, drop-offs wouldn’t start until 4:40 p.m., more than an hour and a half after school lets out for the day.

Johnson said the new bus routes will put strains on extracurricular activities for kids and work for car givers who don’t have flexible jobs.

“I think they need to look at potentially alternative modes, outsourcing those last couple of routes that can’t get there that half hour before,” Johnson said. “I believe there is a minimum number of instructional hours that are required per school. I don’t believe it’d be meeting that.”

'Nowhere else to go': All Wake school bus routes covered, but some students will be late

Cooper is not the only student that is affected by this change. According to Wake County Schools, nearly 3,000 students will be in the same position.

Of the students who would arrive late, 1,446 students would arrive one minute to 10 minutes late, 1,008 students would arrive 11 minutes to 20 minutes late, 481 students would arrive 21 minutes to 30 minutes late, and 222 students would arrive more than 30 minutes late.

Wake Schools added the district has 560 drivers, but will need more than 300 additional drivers to be fully staffed and make sure students get to school on time. The school system also asked parents to consider bringing their kids to school instead of relying on bus routes.

For Johnson, he just wants the Wake Schools to understand the strain on parents.

“I want to be able to show as much grace to those that were involved in the decision and understand how tough this is,” Johnson said. “But please just take into consideration how it does impact all families.”