LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Jefferson County Public Schools students return to the classroom on Wednesday.
It will be a new year with new start times and bus stops for thousands of JCPS students.
But there's already been a rocky start for families.
"I think it’s going to create chaos," David Katz, a parent, said.
While the Katz family works to get into the swing of a new school year, David Katz has found a bump in the road — getting his daughters home after school.
"It's absurd we're going to be having my kids on the bus for an hour and 42 minutes," he said.
His daughters are scheduled to walk out of Norton Elementary at 4:20 p.m. and are expected to arrive at their bus stop at 6:02 p.m.
"We live five minutes away from the school," Katz said.
To petition the long drive, Katz filled out JCPS' "bus stop request form." It's an online form to request a bus stop. or to voice concerns with the current one.
JCPS said "thousands" completed the form in its first few days. Parents have expressed its concerns with length of rides, location of stops, or not having a stop at all.
"There's a lot of unknown," Katz said.
Bus concerns aren't a new issue for JCPS.
Katz and several other parents are frustrated because of changes JCPS made to address challenges last school year.
David Katz and his two kids. (WDRB photo)
The district had a shortage of drivers which caused nearly 20,000 students to show up late, sometimes up to two hours, last school year.
"I know that is -- there are many inconveniences for families, but in the end, we know that there can't be anything more important than getting to school on time,"Â Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio said.
To address the late arrivals, JCPS overhauled its start times.
Going from just two times to mark the beginning of the day to 9 a.m., staggering between the hours of 7:40 a.m. to 10:40 a.m.
The plan was introduced and passed within a month and a half.
"The start times are a huge deal because they moved back our start times by 40 minutes," Katz said.
While JCPS increased its starting salary to $22 an hour for bus drivers and included other incentives, the district said it still needed to cut routes down.
The start time change allowed JCPS to consolidate its number of bus routes. It now offers 600 routes, which is a cut from its 730 routes last school year.
"We will now have more drivers than we do routes," Pollio said.
The other problem that has left parents scrambling is bus routes which were announced two and a half weeks before the new year.
"Gone as far as to look at personal driving services to get her there," Kamaria Wesley, a parent, said.
JCPS bus generic
Wesley used to drive her daughter to Norton Elementary but her 9:40 a.m. start time no longer makes that possible.
"If we needed to change schools due to start time or lack of transportation but with all this unrolling at this time, this late date, the deadlines have passed so our options are pretty limited," Wesley said.
Her suggestion from JCPS was to fill out the "bus stop request form" or switch schools after the transfer deadline passed.
'The schools that she's offered transportation to don't align to the quality and caliber of education she is receiving at her current school," Wesley said.
With just a few days to go before the new school year, both Wesley and Katz are looking for alternative routes but also bracing themselves for long carpool lines.
"That remains to be seen," Wesley said.
"It’s unacceptable," Katz said.
They're doing all of this while waiting for answers.
"Not heard a word," Katz said.
Starting Aug. 7, JCPS families can call (502) 485-7433 to get information about their child's current, assigned school bus and bus stop.
This is to help those who don't have or can't find their stop. This number is not to request a bus stop change.
The 485-RIDE hotline will be open:
- Monday, 8/7: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Tuesday, 8/8: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Wednesday, 8/9: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Thursday, 8/10: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Friday, 8/11: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Monday, 8/14: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Tuesday, 8/15: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Wednesday, 8/16: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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