U.F. parents upset with lack of buses for students

Notre Dame students finding their own
way to school
BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer

UPPER FREEHOLD — Parents whose children attend Notre Dame High School in Lawrenceville told the Board of Education last week that they are frustrated by the district’s inability to provide busing.

Viola Yousifon, business administrator for the Upper Freehold Regional School District, said at the Sept. 17 Board of Education meeting that the route was put out for bid three times, but no contractors were interested in it.

This week school officials said more bids came in for the route and are currently under review.

Since the beginning of the school year, 25 students from the Lawrenceville area have arranged their own alternate source of transportation.

Yousifon said that in the past other school districts have helped with busing to Notre Dame, but the same arrangements were not available this year. The board tried to set up busing service with both Monmouth and Mercer County Special Services, but still received no bids.

"A shortage of drivers makes it difficult for contractors to bid," Yousifon said.

She said she contacted Linda Wells of the state Department of Transportation who explained the board’s limitations.

"We are required by law to spend only a certain amount of money per student," said Yousifon. "Our only option is to pay the parents the $751 as the law requires."

Notre Dame parent Diane Raynor, of Upper Freehold, said she inquired about the possibility of purchasing a bus. She was told a 54 passenger bus cost about $58,000, while 24 passenger buses went for approximately $41,000.

"We can’t supply drivers to routes in our district and we don’t have that kind of money in our budget to go out and pay for a bus. I don’t know if purchasing a bus is permitted through the statutes. Even if we had a bus, we have no driver. We are down two drivers this year and are not getting responses from the ads we have out there now," Yousifon said.

"I don’t understand, with a $1 million transportation budget, why this can’t be worked out," Raynor said.

"This makes us feel terrible. This is the first time this has happened. We are restricted by [statute] Title 18A. We have done everything we could," Yousifon told Raynor.

It was suggested that Notre Dame hire a bus, but Superintendent of Schools Robert Connelly said, "The proposal could be done with Notre Dame to pay the difference, but the public school cannot pay. We can’t maintain a bus for 25 students at $751 [each]. The numbers are not set by the Board of Education. It’s set by legislation we must follow."

One parent was angry that bus passes were mailed out one week in August, only to be followed by a letter the following week that no bus would be available.

Transportation Coordinator Lynnette Foulks said the passes were sent out by Hamilton Township, which provided bus service last year.

When asked why there was a bus for St. Gregory’s, school board President Jeanette Bressi said, "We went out to bid a second time for [Notre Dame and St. Gregory’s]. Someone did bid for St. Greg’s and Our Lady of Sorrows. It was just luck."

One parent asked why the board can’t combine the St. Greg’s route with Notre Dame.

Foulks replied, "St. Greg’s and Notre Dame are half an hour apart and they start within 10 minutes of each other."

"You chose to send your children to private school. It is through no lack of effort that these kids don’t have a bus." Connelly added. "We were told by the bus companies it is not worth it for 25 kids. They could do it for 40 [students]."

One father pointed out that many of the 25 students drive to school and never take the bus. He asked if they could relinquish their seats on a bus, thus en­abling a smaller bus to be used.

"Many Allentown High School stu­dents drive, and some elementary school parents drive their kids to school, but they must have a[n assigned] seat on the bus. I went over this in detail with the di­rector of transportation for the state," Yousifon said.

Connelly said they will ask if students are allowed to relinquish their seats. He also said that it was his understanding that parents could contract as individuals with a bus company.

Bressi said the board would "definitely pursue a 24-student bus. We are on it immediately. We must check with the state. If the state will allow us, we will bid for 24." Bressi said she would get back to the parents on the daily operating costs for a bus, driver and insurance.