Don’t Blame The Bus Owner/Operators

To the Editor:

In regard to the current situation with the transportation system for our student population and how it is being handled by our Board of Education and current administration, I believe that I can safely state as agreed that there are numerous grievances with the current transportation system stemming from apparent gross inefficiencies. The end result being intolerably long time periods experienced by many of our students from the end of school to arrival at home, along with several poorly planned adjustments to the busing schedules.

 There does seem to be some debate, however, as to the causation of those inefficiencies. Our new superintendent, who appears to disfavor Newtown’s traditional owner/operator system, has cited poor communication, budget issues, the new 5/6 school, an increase in the student population, and other factors as evidence that our current system is not up to the task at hand. After considering the information disclosed at the recent Board of Education meetings and public dialogue in this newspaper I am beginning to question this perspective.

At issue is the current number of drivers and buses provided by our owner/operators and the new bus companies, MLM Transportation Inc; also at issue are the schedules and routes that they are following. It is worthwhile to point out that the schedules were established by the town’s transportation administration as well as the decision as to how many buses and drivers were placed into service. I am also highly suspicious regarding the wisdom of replacing our current drivers who have been faithfully serving our community for, in many cases, decades. These men and women have invested considerable time, effort, and personal financial capital to become owner/operators, and as such Newtown’s children have benefited from being transported by mature, experienced, citizens from our community. In contrast to the students from, for example, the town of Ridgefield where we witnessed a labor dispute, high employee turnover from their bus company, and a case where a bus company employee took some students on a “joy ride” that resulted in that driver being arrested for multiple counts of child endangerment, among other charges.

The fact that there were two representatives from an outside bus company at the last Board of Education meeting, per the invitation of our new superintendent, did not escape my notice.  I am also very aware that this is an election year. I see this as my opportunity as a voting taxpayer, and a parent, to support elected officials who will advocate some reasonable solutions to what should be a straightforward problem of logistics regarding the transportation of our children, allowing us all to move on to the more serious issues involving the actual education of our student population.

Regards,

Marc and Catherine B. Michaud

78 Narragansett Trail, Newtown                       September 22, 2003