Omaha Public Schools' busing problems seem to be subsiding a bit, but issues continue. The number of drivers and covered bus routes is increasing, but it doesn't mean that everyone is being picked up on time.
Monday night, the Omaha Board of Education gets an update from the OPS Director of Transportation and Student Transportation of America, the busing company. They say there are 435 drivers now and should be 458 by the end of the month. At last check, there were 433 routes and they hoped to consolidate six of them.
Emily Sutton's daughter Lily, who has Septo Optic Dysplasia hasn't gotten a ride to Beals Elementary for Pre-Kindergarten on-time since the start of the year. Emily's been driving her there every day, though she rides the bus home.
"It's been pretty frustrating to the point where I was in tears, especially this morning I was in tears. :44 just because I just don't know we're already in the middle of September I just don't understand how it's taking this long," Sutton explained.
About 3,000 students and 56 schools were affected by the busing crisis. OPS staff members drive the special education buses not STA, but some were picking up STA routes.
KMTV emailed OPS on behalf of Emily to report the continued problems and Tuesday she gets results when her phone rings.
"It's the guy who's the head of the entire transportation and he said that ‘we apologize for everything that's going on and I just spoke to my staff and as of tomorrow morning Lily will be assigned a permanent driver in the morning and afternoon,’" Sutton described.
By mid-October, STA expects to have 465 drivers.
