Last-Minute Bus Route Delays Leave Stafford Parents Scrambling as School Year Begins

With some students returning to class tomorrow, parents in Stafford County are expressing frustration and concern as some students have yet to be assigned bus routes for the upcoming school year. In a letter sent to families, Karim Johnson, the Executive Director of Transportation Services, acknowledged the delay and apologized for the oversight, assuring parents that his team was working diligently to resolve the issue.

The first day of school for kindergarten, 6th, and 9th grade students is tomorrow, Monday, August 12, 2024. All other students will return to school on Tuesday, August 13, 2024. Johnson emphasized that the transportation team works around the clock to ensure all students receive their bus assignments by Monday evening.

“We fully understand how stressful and inconvenient this situation is, especially as you’re preparing your children for their first week back at school,” Johnson wrote. “We deeply regret that this issue has not yet been resolved, and we are truly sorry for any anxiety this has caused.”

The letter also included a request for parents to drive their children to and from school during the first week if their child’s bus route is not assigned by Monday evening. Johnson acknowledged the inconvenience this request may cause and apologized for the disruption it may cause.

Parents are encouraged to check the MyRideK-12 app for updates on their child’s bus route assignment. Johnson assured families that the district is doing everything possible to resolve the issue quickly and that no student will be penalized for being tardy or absent due to transportation problems.

The school division is without a full-time superintendent after Dr. Thomas Taylor left the school division in June to lead public schools in Montgomery County, Md.

More as we have it.  Here is the full letter:

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I am writing to address an issue that I know is causing significant frustration and concern for many of you. It has come to our attention that some students have not yet been assigned a bus route for the upcoming school year. Please accept our sincerest apologies for this delay and oversight. Our team is working diligently to complete the routes and bus assignments as quickly as possible

We fully understand how stressful and inconvenient this situation is, especially as you’re preparing your children for their first week back at school. We deeply regret that this issue has not yet been resolved, and we are truly sorry for any anxiety this has caused.

Our team is working around the clock to ensure that all students receive their bus route assignments by Monday evening. We know that the current uncertainty is far from ideal, and we genuinely appreciate your patience as we finalize these arrangements. Please continue to check MyRideK-12 for your child’s assignment through Monday night.

If, by Monday evening, your child’s route still hasn’t been assigned, we ask for your continued understanding. If possible, we would be grateful if you could drive your child to and from school during the first week while we complete the routing process. We know this is not a small request, and we apologize for the inconvenience.

We want to assure you that we are doing everything in our power to resolve this as quickly as possible. Your child’s safety and your peace of mind are incredibly important to us, and we are committed to making things right. Please know that your child will not be penalized for being tardy or absent as it relates to a bus assignment or transportation issue.

If your child does not need transportation, please disregard this letter.

Thank you for your understanding and for bearing with us during this frustrating time. We ask that you continue to check the My Ride K-12 App for updates.

Please accept my sincere apologies,

Karim Johnson

Executive Director of Transportation Services