LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Jefferson County Public Schools saw some improvement for the second day of school after it canceled classes for a week because the first day of busing in a new transportation system was a mess.

However, it was much worse for one mother on Friday, as her second grade son did not get off the bus.

On the first day of school last week, WDRB News sat with Molly Browers as she waited for her son, Eli, at his assigned bus stop on Brownsboro Road and Lindsay Avenue.  Scheduled to be dropped off at 4:13 p.m., her son arrived at nearly 6 p.m.

For the second day of school, WDRB returned to Brownsboro Road and Lindsay Avenue to wait again. While Friday's bus was an hour and-a-half-late, it turned out to be the least of her concerns.

Her 7-year-old son was not on the bus.

"I would've just lost a part of my heart if that would've happened," Browers said.

When Eli's bus approached, Browers walked up to the doors. After a minute discussion with the driver, and a child in the front seat, she was told her son was dropped off at another stop, one mile away.

The driver said he was dropped off at English Avenue and Crescent Avenue. A mile away from the bus stop Browers waited at for over an hour.

"Some random person could've just snatched my son up," she said.

His bus tag, attached to his backpack, also had his Brownsboro Road and Lindsay Avenue stop labeled correctly.

"I'm just confused because I thought they looked at the tag in order, in order to drop them off," Browers said. "Why do you just let a 7-year-old walk of the bus like he's 16?"

Browers does not have a car, and needed to get a ride to English Avenue and Crescent Avenue.

While on her way, she called 911. At the same time, two good Samaritans also dialed 911 when they found Eli on the sidewalk alone and screaming. 

"I was seriously lost, I just screamed," Eli said.

Browers said the same 911 operator took her call, and the people waiting with Eli. The operator was able to give the mom an exact address where her son was.

"I appreciate those people very much because there's like ... this is a big city and there's bad things that happen in the world all the time," Browers said.

While it took around 10 minutes to reunite mother and son, it was 10 minutes of terror.

"I think JCPS needs to figure their life out," said Browers.

A JCPS spokesperson said Chenoweth Elementary' s principal called Browers, who said she was "appreciative" of the call. JCPS also added the bus driver did not pay attention to the child's bus tag, which isn't supposed to happen. JCPS said it will follow up on this situation.

Overall, bus delays for the morning commute averaged 10-40 minutes for some students, but the district told families earlier this week to still anticipate some normal "first day" delays.

The district said Friday's drop-off time was "on par" with the first day of school in 2022.

While the district said Friday was successful, buses weren't transporting all JCPS students — only elementary and middle school students. High school students will be added to the mix Monday morning.

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