LOUISVILE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The president of the union that represents bus drivers for Jefferson County Public Schools believes classes should be canceled through next week to help sort out the logistics that led to a "transportation disaster" Wednesday.

John Stovall, president of Teamsters Local 783, said drivers are working Thursday and Friday to practice routes and let the district know what doesn't work. They can also work Saturday and Sunday, but that's optional, and they might need even more time.

"You can simulate all you want to, but if you're not going to listen to drivers and take their input, it's still not going to work," Stovall said Thursday. "I would advocate that they cancel school for next week as well. I know the district will probably get mad at me for saying that, but you don't want to roll this out after two days and then come back next Monday and have the same problem."

Wednesday was the first day of school for JCPS students. However, some students didn't get home until almost 10 p.m. amid new bus routes and school start times. At 5:13 a.m. Thursday, JCPS parents received a text alert that said school would be canceled on Thursday, Aug. 10, and Friday, Aug. 11.

JCPS spokeswoman Carolyn Callahan said the district would use the next four days to "make fixes to ensure the safety and well-being of our students and staff." Superintendent Marty Pollio released a video statement early Thursday morning, apologizing to students, parents and staff for the problems on the first day.

"I know many of you had to wait on buses or wait in your school for several hours, and I truly apologize for that," he said. "I know how unnerving and unsettling that must have been for even our youngest students, but all of our students and we truly apologize to you."

Stovall said he's heard frustration and anger from his drivers that were out as late as 10 p.m. Wednesday. He said the drivers had no input on the new routes, fearing they wouldn't make it in time.

"They're going from one end of town all the way to the other end of town all for one student," he said. "... This is not going to work. They feel like they've been set up for failure."

JCPS recently started using a program developed by a firm called AlphaRoute out of Massachusetts to help with planning routes and assigning bus stop locations. The program — developed by graduates of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology — uses artificial intelligence to generate the routes with the intent of reducing the number of routes. JCPS had 730 routes last year, and that was cut to 600 beginning this year.

Stovall said the union relayed its concerns about AlphaRoute to JCPS before school started. Some drivers have already resigned over the situation, including a 14-year veteran with perfect attendance.

"It's a disaster," he said Thursday. "Now, there may be few things they can take from that and tweak it. But, right now, no, and I know other school districts have used the AlphaRoute before and had the same problems."

JCPS is not the first district to use AlphaRoute software. Columbus City Public Schools, the largest district in Ohio, spent $1.5 million on the software. But it stopped using the software after last school year because it was causing so many issues. 

Stovall said the issues aren't the fault of the drivers, so parents should focus their frustration on the district.

"Don't take it out on the bus drivers. They're just doing their job," he said. "They're just as upset as you are about it — your kids being late — because they want to get their kids home or their grandkids."

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