North Allegheny unable to provide transportation for students at 3 private schools
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North Allegheny School District has so far this academic year been unable to provide transportation for students who live in the district and attend three private schools, a district spokesperson said Sept. 18.
The school district transports about 9,500 students to and from school, district spokeswoman Brandi Smith said. Approximately 8,550 of those students who attend North Allegheny School District are bused primarily by the district’s own transportation department.
The remaining students, nearly a 1,000 of them, are transported by about 15 different bus contractors and attend about 30 different private and parochial schools, Smith said.
In August, shortly before the start of the academic year, Ambridge-based R. J. Rhodes Transit informed the district it was going out of business. That company had provided buses for students who live in the North Allegheny School District but attend four other schools.
The district found another contractor to bus students to one of those schools — Holy Cross — but students who live in district and attend Aquinas Academy, Eden Upper and Eden Wexford do not currently have buses, Smith said.
Smith explained that most North Allegheny students are bused by the district’s own drivers. Some North Allegheny students who need certain accommodations — like a wheelchair accessible van — are picked up and dropped off by Sarver-based W.L. Roenigk, which also was not impacted.
Smith said students who live in the district and go to school at Aquinas Academy, Eden Upper and Eden Wexford have been without any busing from the district so far this year. Families are transporting students to and from school themselves, she said.
“We are providing parents of those schools with daily updates,” she said.
Smith could not say how many students are impacted or when the district may be able to provide transportation for them.
District officials are working to identify another contractor who could cover the routes or find a way for North Allegheny bus drivers to service those students.
“The district immediately began searching for alternative transportation for our private school students by reaching out to 11 other contractors,” said Roger Botti, a consultant for the district’s transportation department. “Unfortunately, the ongoing shortage of bus drivers has proved to be a significant obstacle in securing a replacement for all private school students.”
Botti said the district recognized the lack of transportation was “unacceptable” and said they are “steadfastly working to resolve this matter.”
“We are reviewing all North Allegheny bus routes to explore ways our drivers can take on additional students and stops,” he said in a statement. “The district is actively working on a transportation solution for those students who do not have transportation.”
The district will update families when the issue is resolved, Smith said, and a webpage on the district website is updated daily to provide information on busing.
Smith said the district did tweak routes for its own students at the start of the academic year, which happens each year. Families who have questions or concerns can reach out to the North Allegheny transportation department.
The district also is poised to debut a new mobile app, dubbed Traversa Ride 360, which allows parents and guardians to quickly find information about students’ bus route. The technology is currently in testing and will allow parents to find information pertaining to bus stops, routes, drivers and bus numbers. Botti said families will be notified when the app is available “in the upcoming months.”