This past year we moved to a new house in a more suburban area. This move put us right inside the edge for the county school district and while I was bummed my son would have to change schools I was happy that his new school had a bus system. Yes, they are very polluting but I still like the idea of mass transit for the kids and not a slew of hundreds of parents all cramming tiny streets idling (idling is very bad for the environment) while they picked up and dropped off kids. The worst part about last year was the fact that I had to get to my son’s school to pick him up about and hour and a half early to get a spot in front of the school and not a half mile away. This took ALOT of time out of the day and since it was hot on plenty of occasions I think 95% of the parents were idling to keep their air conditioners on…and I would too if I had to bring my other kids with me. :(
So that being said I like school buses….I just wish they would switch to biodiesel. Sounds like something to bring up before the PTA this year.
But I digress…my son’s first day was yesterday and I thought we were prepared. The bus driver and I had talked on the phone and he insisted that he would pick my son up at our driveway. I reminded him that our street was private with no through access. He still insisted he would come right to our driveway.
Well, I should have seen this coming but on the first morning the bus pulled up to the corner at the edge of our street and did NOT proceed to drive up it and to our driveway. He stopped, opened his doors for a few seconds, and we started to walk in that direction. Then he closed his doors and drove away…not wanting to wait for us. WTH?! I don’t think you want to hear some of the internal language going on in my head at that moment. And did I mention it was pouring rain this whole time?
So I had to drive my son to school. Oh well, at least I got to meet his teacher and see his classroom. That was nice.
Well, the return trip was not so easy either. Having no idea what time he would be getting dropped off I spent an hour and half waiting. Then, getting freaked out that he wasn’t home by almost 5:00, I called the school. They called the bus driver and informed me that he was still on the bus and was heading back to school as he had fallen asleep and the bus driver forgot about him. That was one heck of a long day for him and all the sweetheart could say when he got off was “Yeah! It is still light out. Can I play?” Oh and he needed some homemade ice cream to cool off after a hot bus ride.
Hopefully we have all the bugs worked out now. We shall see today….
So what are your thoughts on school buses? Do you hate them? Do you like them? How can we make them safer for children and planet?
my son was so excited to ride the bus when he starts kindergarten next week until i found out that a bus cannot come down our cul-de-sac and turn around…we always thought he could because a bus comes every day for the kids across the street. turns out this is a “special” bus and it’s smaller…but they won’t take my kid on it! oy. so i guess we’re onto driving. maybe we’ll carpool.
That is awful! Riding a bus is like a rite of passage.
We are kind of in the same situation as the bus can’t tun around but at least they let us walk to the street corner so he can get on.
You are definitely a good sport. I don’t know how I would react if the bus driver had forgotten about my child, but I have to admit I don’t think I would have been able to have the same self-restraint as you. Kudos to you for remaining calm!
Right now we are within walking distance to the school so no buses in the near future for my kiddos. Truthfully buses make me nervous, having all those energetic kids in no seat belts, yet I hear of so few incidents, so maybe they know what they’re doing after all. But the day will come when my kids will also have this ‘rite of passage.’ And really, what would childhood be without memories of riding the bus? :)
Abiding to Tiffany first impression, riding the bus is a rite of passage and this not only time being but also for quite some more time. Share solutions if any.
Armand Rousso
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