LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) --JCPS canceled classes on Thursday and Friday after major transportation issues on the first day of school.

Some students didn't get home until almost 10 p.m. amid new bus routes and school start times.

The district said it would send an email when the last student had been dropped off Wednesday. That email came at 10 p.m. A JCPS spokesperson said as of 9:58 p.m., all bus riders had been dropped off.

District leaders didn't comment on first day of school transportation issues until sharing a letter at 11:30 p.m. it had sent to JCPS families from Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio, which can be read below:

"Good evening,

We apologize to those families who waited for hours for their child to return home after dismissal. As of 9:58 p.m. all JCPS bus riders have been dropped off.

While JCPS always experiences delays in transportation during the first several days of school, what happened today is unacceptable. We acknowledge that the delays and frustrations felt by families were worse than in years past as bus drivers, families, students and school staff all worked to navigate a brand new transportation plan.

We will be working diligently to make adjustments with the goal of reducing bus wait times and ensuring every child who needs one has a safe ride to and from school.

However, we are under no illusion that all, or even most, of the challenges we faced today will be fixed tomorrow. In years past, most of the kinks in the transportation system have been worked out within two weeks. We’re hopeful that will be the case again this year.

Please continue to show our bus drivers some grace and understanding. They have been working hard learning new routes for both the morning and afternoon, and getting to know their new students. We appreciate all of their hard work and dedication.

Again, our apologies for a long first day for some of our students and their families.

Sincerely,

Dr. Marty Pollio

Superintendent"

Pollio has said previously he anticipates it will take a few weeks for things to smooth out. He declined WDRB's request to talk on camera about first day issues. 

Before the start of this school year, JCPS cut more than 100 bus routes in an effort to help with a driver shortage. It completely overhauled its transportation and school scheduling system, cutting down and combining bus routes. All bus drivers are covering new routes, and had been practicing their routes leading up to the first day of school. 

A JCPS spokesperson said as of 9:58 p.m., all bus riders had been dropped off.

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 new routes also come when school start times have changed across the district, going from two to nine. 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.

Leading up to the first day, JCPS leaders urged parents to be patient as there are always a few bumps in the road on the first day — including bus delays. 

But in some cases, buses were a no show when picking up students Wednesday morning.

"We went at 9:10 (a.m.) I think and it was so full, we had a ton of kids on the bus stop. And they started leaving as the time passed and then, 11 o'clock came, 12 o'clock came," said Tiesha Calbert. "We called the school and she says that they were going to have a bus come out. And then they call back about 10 minutes later, (says) 'I do apologize, we don't have a bus.'"

Calbert is a JCPS parent and the director of a local daycare. She's responsible for making sure more than three dozen students get to and from school each day. She said the first day was a disaster because the district moved bus stops away from her daycare center. 

"When it comes to people's children, you don't ask people to have patience. I expect you to know what you're doing. I expect you to have it worked out in the process," she said. "We know that this time is coming every year. You've had plenty of time to figure this out from the beginning. You don't wait a week or two before school starts to determine your routes. And how are you going to handle those situations with the bus stops?"

But the delays didn't just happen on the way to school. The afternoon bus ride home was also delayed for many students.

Wednesday marked the first day for the state's largest school district, with new start times and bus routes.

A JCPS employee, who asked to remain anonymous, told WDRB News school was set to start at 9:40 a.m., but the last bus arrived around 11 a.m. They said school dismissed at 4:20 p.m., and the first bus arrived at the school to pick up students at around 4:45 p.m. At 8:45 p.m., three buses never showed up and the last child had to be picked up by family at about 8:15 p.m.

Additionally, the employee said one bus full of students, who had been picked up at 6:15 p.m., was still dropping them off at 8:45 p.m.

WDRB News found parents at bus stops all over the city waiting for their children Wednesday evening, their frustration growing as the hours passed and as the WDRB newsroom was flooded with calls and messages from parents describing a nightmare ordeal waiting for their kids. 

"I'm angry. I'm frustrated, my baby didn't get picked up this morning either," Latill Wiliams said.

Karen Hutchings has three grandchildren in two different JCPS schools. She was waiting for her fifth-grader from Coleridge Taylor Elementary. Hutchings also works for the district, in the cafeteria at Engelhard Elementary School. She said there were kids at her school still arriving on the bus as late as 2:19 p.m.

"This cannot last," Hutchings said. "For a lot of parents, this is very unacceptable. Very."

Across the street from her, Wiliams began to worry about her 5-year-old, who was still on the bus home from Byck Elementary.

"My oldest daughter went to school just fine this morning, and now come here and it's a disaster," said Wiliams. "Can't get nobody on the phone, I can't get nobody on the phone from the school or the bus compound."

At 7:15 p.m., four hours after the school day ended at Byck, Wiliams' daughter's bus arrived. But Hutchings continued to wait, until getting a call that they had taken her grandson back to school.

"I don't understand what happened," she said.

Meanwhile, Molly Browers said her 7-year-old son should have gotten off the bus at 4:15 p.m., less than an hour after his school day at Chenoweth Elementary ended at 3:20 p.m. 

"I don't have a car at the moment," said Browers, who waited at her son's bus stop at Brownsboro Road and Lindsay Avenue with her toddler. "I think it's very inconvenient."

Browers waited and waited as other buses passed by.

"I don't think I should wait an hour for a bus," she said. "I don't think I should have to wait two hours."

Her son's bus finally arrived at 5:50 p.m., nearly two hours later than expected, dropping off kids from Field and Chenoweth elementary schools.

"I don't like it at all," she said. "I've never waited for two hours."

Other parents who were also waiting for their children to get home from those schools eventually called the school to check on their bus. They were asked to go pick them up. Some parents were already planning on picking their kids up. Tony Green, whose son attends Medora Elementary, were met with long lines for car riders spanning blocks.

"From the looks of it, I saw, we've doubled the car rider line from last year to this year," said Green.

Green said he and his family rearranged work schedules in order to pick up their son, and will continue to do so unless his bus stop changes.

"They were wanting him on Valley Station Road," he said. "It's just not safe for any kid."

Another parent, Tony Carter, also expected chaos on Wednesday and took matters into his own hands.

"I don't trust the system. I saw too many kids out this morning still waiting for the bus, so I just said 'I'm going to pick her up myself,'" said Carter.

WDRB News posted to Facebook Wednesday evening, asking parents how the first day of school was for their child. Out of the more than 800 comments, many aired their frustrations with buses. 

One said she saw parents waiting at bus stops after 6 p.m. waiting for their children. Sometime after 8 p.m., another said their 8-year-old granddaughter hadn't arrived home after a 12-hour day. One parent said her son had to wait at the bus stop in the morning for an hour and was late to school. Others said their bus never showed up. 

WDRB reached out to members of the Jefferson County Board of Education to ask them about the transportation delays on the first day.

Board member Sarah Cole McIntosh, who represents JCPS' District 7, called the bus problems "very disappointing and upsetting."

"The focus tonight (Wednesday) has to be on ensuring everyone is home and safe. To the families impacted, I am so, so sorry and have already shared with Dr. Pollio and his team a request for specific data and next steps for evaluating where the systems failed and what accountability may look like," McIntosh said. "That said, I know there were many successes and happy moments that happened inside our buildings so I want to make sure we don't overlook the things we should also celebrate. Our JCPS employees were amazing today and I don't want their performance to be overlooked."

Board member Linda Duncan said the delays "are far beyond what we had anticipated."

"All of our families are sacrificing in the hopes that this will get better," Duncan said. "I did not vote in support of this schedule, but I will do my best to help our families find solutions to their bus issues and hope we retain the drivers we have. Tomorrow needs to be better for all of us."

Diane Porter said, in part, that she had received calls and text all evening about bus tardiness. She wasn't aware that kids were still on the bus as late as 9:45 p.m., and said she was "really sorry to hear that."

"All we learned today is we have some work we must take care of," Porter said.

District leaders have instructed parents to call the school if there are issues with their child's bus. Parents are also encouraged to call the JCPS Transportation Hotline at 502-485-RIDE (485-7433). 

Below are the dates and times when the line will be open: 

  • 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.

JCPS said if you child's bus is late, call their school. The school will contact the bus compound on your behalf.

To request a bus stop change, click here. Officials said that form will be available for parents for the next couple of weeks. JCPS launched its Bus Finder web portal last month.

JCPS is directing parents to its back to school page for any questions.

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