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Neighbors react to start of rolling school bus blackouts in Olathe School District

Posted at 11:08 PM, Jan 09, 2023
and last updated 2023-01-10 07:24:10-05

Lynn Ford and her daughter have a plan a few weeks after the change to school bus scheduling at the Olathe School District.

"It was kind of like, 'Oh my gosh, what are we going to do?'' Ford said. "You know it was a little bit of a panic just thinking we do rely on the busses for both of our kids."

She and her neighbors created their own carpool rotation to make up for the missing Monday bus.

"It's kind of like, 'Go figure it out," she said. "My main concern is reminding her every Monday of this new routine. Making sure she doesn't forget and you know stands out like, 'Hey where's my bus? Oh no, I'm in carpool today."

Monday was the first day students at Manchester Park Elementary School who would normally ride the bus had to find another way home.

For some parents that's been easy, but for others it's a struggle.

On Tuesday, it'll be Amy Carter's turn to figure out a ride for her kids.

They also have a backup plan.

"We're lucky that we have options," Carter said.

"I know that the district does their best," she said. "This is not a dig on them. I just again, I think that the priority should be paying our teachers and our bus drivers and valuing those positions that are with our kids all day."

The district says its bus drivers do get competitive pay, but until the driver shortage is ironed out, students and parents will continue their lesson in flexibility.

Click here to learn more about the district's transportation plan.