PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Dawn Ackerley on School Bus Transportation Issues
3:38:01
·
4 min
Dawn Ackerley, a parent of a child in the Horizon program, testifies about ongoing issues with school bus transportation services. She details multiple unresolved complaints, excessive travel times, and problems with the bus tracking app.
- Ackerley reports filing numerous complaints with OPT (Office of Pupil Transportation) without resolution
- Her child's bus ride often takes 2.5 hours each way for a school only 15-20 minutes from home
- She highlights issues with inconsistent drivers, lack of communication, and non-functioning bus tracking app
- Ackerley calls for better accountability for bus companies and drivers repeatedly reported for issues
Dawn Ackerley
3:38:01
Hi.
3:38:02
Good afternoon.
3:38:03
Thank you for holding this Council.
3:38:05
My name is Dawn Ackerley.
3:38:06
I am also a parent of a child that is in the Horizon program in a public school, just like the woman to the left of me.
3:38:17
Basically, the same kind of issues.
3:38:19
I'm here today because I care about my son and I care about all the children that are experiencing these issues.
3:38:27
Just like the mom to the left of me, I have put in multiple, multiple complaints with OPT, nothing ever gets done to name a U ticket numbers, I n c 1292841, I n c 1296557, I n c 1296663, I n c 1291296705.
3:38:50
INC 129-7019, INC129-6557, INC130-1327, and then there are multiple complaints made by the school as well.
3:39:03
It was asked earlier on this panel if OPT responds in a timely manner or if anything ever gets done.
3:39:10
I can tell you that one of those ticket numbers is from the very 1st day of school.
3:39:15
I spend a significant amount of time every morning on the phone with OPT.
3:39:20
I have a job to go to myself.
3:39:21
This creates an entire new job for me every morning.
3:39:26
OPT does answer the phone in a timely manner as opposed to last year.
3:39:31
When I was experiencing the same issues with the same company and nothing was ever addressed.
3:39:37
They answer the phone.
3:39:39
They do not prioritize the claims or seem to care at all.
3:39:45
I was told that claims should be escalated.
3:39:49
That if I put in multiple tickets, something will be escalated after a certain amount of tickets is put in.
3:39:56
I have done that.
3:39:58
The school has done that.
3:40:00
Listening to the panel that was here earlier and kind of addressing their frankly excuses.
3:40:06
They talked about routes and times, and that students within the same barrel should be within 60 minutes.
3:40:13
My child is generally on the bus for 2 a half hours either way.
3:40:17
It is not because there is no programming close to his school or there's not appropriate programming.
3:40:22
My child's school is 15 to 20 minutes away from our home.
3:40:27
He generally arrives to school at about 10 AM and arrives home at about 5 o'clock PM.
3:40:34
As far as the app, yes, the app is accessible.
3:40:38
As a parent, I received that email that how to use the app and that the app would be accessible.
3:40:45
As of now, my child's bus has no real driver.
3:40:50
There is someone different that arrives every day, and they do not turn on the app.
3:40:55
So I have resorted to an air tag and making a parent group a chat with other moms in the group where we kind of just communicate with one another as to where the app is.
3:41:08
The Mattern has told us that She will not call.
3:41:12
They do not call.
3:41:13
That is the policy, which is another issue.
3:41:16
Nobody seems to understand the rules or what they are.
3:41:19
They are constantly changing.
3:41:21
We beep.
3:41:22
We don't beep.
3:41:22
We call.
3:41:23
We may not call.
3:41:24
There is a pickup time.
3:41:25
There is no pickup time.
3:41:27
Call the base.
3:41:28
Call the school.
3:41:29
It's just a runaround.
3:41:31
I know my time is up.
3:41:33
We also talked about protections in place for the busing staff.
3:41:37
I agree that protection should be in place for the busing staff, but there must also be disciplinary action when the drivers and companies are repeatedly reported.
3:41:47
This particular company, Allied, I have reported them multiple times.
3:41:51
The school has reported them multiple times.
3:41:53
One of the main issues this year and why we do not have a driver is because the first driver that arrived to my home decided to try to get into a physical altercation with the principal on the 1st day of school, so he was let go.
3:42:10
Needless to say.
3:42:11
These are special needs children that need routine, that need calm, that need to be regulated every morning, and it greatly affects their school day.
3:42:20
I'm sorry, for going over the time.
3:42:24
Yes.
3:42:24
Thank you.
3:42:25
Thank you for your time.
