Parents in Stoughton, Massachusetts, are scrambling just weeks ahead of the first day of school after the district cut a school bus.
The parents say they're outraged over the decision and are wondering what to do.
The superintendent called this a "transportation perfect storm," and parents sounded off on it in a meeting Monday night.
"Adding to what I'm calling, I guess, a transportation perfect storm, we had 162 more transportation requests this year for non-fee transportation than we did last year, so we're up from 1,367 last year to 1,529 requests, or about a 12% jump," explained Superintendent Joseph Baeta. "We just couldn't have guessed that that is what was going to happen one way or the other."
As of right now, 150 students in Stoughton who requested transportation did not get it.
Baeta said it's a combination of having to make $2.3 million in budget cuts, which included cutting one school bus from last year and 162 more transportation requests year over year.
He told parents Monday night that the district is actually two buses short of meeting the current needs.
Transportation is required for grades K through 6 who live more than two miles from school.
Stoughton Public Schools has used a fee-based system in the past for grades 7 through 12, but don't currently charge for busing.
Parents proposed reinstating that for future school years, as well as possibly doing double or triple morning and afternoon bus runs.
They also pleaded their case with the superintendent, as the district works to fit as many more students on buses as they can.
"I'm a single mom. There's absolutely no way I can drop her off or pick her up at any point, morning or afternoon," said a parent.
"My daughter is on the IEP and I'm just concerned because having her walk anywhere. I mean, that's a liability for everybody. And I'm also, too, a working mom," said another parent.
"1.9 miles feels a lot for an 11-year-old to be walking, especially in the winter," added another parent.
There's a select board meeting Tuesday night, and while this is not on the agenda, it's expected to come up.
