Bus Survey For NHS Released By Board Of Education

By Eliza Hallabeck

The results of the Bus Transportation Survey, which was put together by the Transportation Committee, were released at the group’s meeting last week. Answers from the 461 respondents were compiled and put together in general responses, and most students claimed sleep and after-school activities would be stopping them from riding the buses.

The goal of the survey was to be an additional tool in determining the total number of students who will be riding the bus for the 2008 and 2009 school years. The survey will be used in conjunction with comments from the owner and operators of buses in Newtown and District Transportation routing and enrollment information.

With the loss of parking spaces while the high school is under construction, parking will be tight for students. The survey was designed to give school officials a better estimate at how many spaces will be absolutely necessary.

The survey was put together to create more efficient bus routes, distribute students more evenly during their rides, and to cut the cost of gas. The information provided by the responses will be used over the next couple of months while the Board of Education and the Transportation Committee reevaluate the existing bus routes.

“I actually went through and read the comments,” said School Superintendent Janet Robinson at last week’s Transportation Committee meeting, “because I want to know the reasons why students will not be riding the bus.”

From grade six through nine, 103 surveys came back saying they will not be riding the bus during the 2008 and 2009 school years. The top reasons given for this were parents who drive later than the bus would pick the children up so the student can get extra sleep, parents who drive to spend more time with their children, students will be moving, and students who feel the buses are too crowded.

In the same grades in the survey, of the students who said they would be using the bus system there were a lot who participate in after-school activities.

A larger number of responses came back from grades 10 and 11, and 358 students responded by saying they would not be riding the bus.

The most frequent response from students grade 11 were that they would not be riding the buses during the next school year because they will be seniors then. Not much more was added to the explanation, but senior students get priority for the parking permits at the high school.

Students in grade 10 said they if they had a parking space given to them next year then they would drive to school and would not be riding the bus. A large number of students from grade 10 also responded that they will spending time after school for activities.

All students in the survey who will be staying late for activities were counted as yes answers by the Board of Education and the Transportation Department, because they may still need to ride the bus while not attending the after-school programs.

“There were numerous comments on the length of time on the bus and the crowded buses,” Ms Robinson said.

During the Transportation Committee meeting. multiple suggestions were brought up that could help with more surveys in the future. Cathy Hydeck, with Transportation, suggested that the surveys should be shortened. She also said getting a list of students in the beginning of the school year would help to create a more accurate list of students who will need parking space.