D93 school bus drivers refusing to drive route due to student behavior
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AMMON — Local school bus drivers are refusing to drive a specific route due to poor student behavior.
According to a notification sent via the “My Ride K-12” app for parents to track bus routes, multiple bus drivers are “unwilling” to drive the Bus 45 route, resulting in its cancellation for an unspecified period.
The bus route transports children to and from Bonneville High School and Rocky Mountain Middle School.
Parents say the route serves students in the neighborhoods near WinCo on North Woodruff Avenue.
“Video is being pulled for investigation so appropriate discipline can follow,” according to the notification. “We realize not all students are causing issues, but enough are.”
Bonneville Joint School District 93 Communications Director Phil Campbell said the behavior includes students throwing paper at each other and the driver, water fights, spitballs, not following the driver’s instructions, and pushing and shoving.
Campbell provided a statement to EastIdahoNews.com, saying the district is working to find a new driver to take the route.
“Students are expected to follow bus rules, treat others respectfully, and allow drivers to focus on safely transporting students to and from school,” says Campbell. “Ongoing behavior concerns on Route 45 have contributed to multiple drivers stepping away from the route this school year, and the district is working to find a driver to take this route.”
When asked whether overcrowding is contributing to the issues, Campbell says Bus 45 has a capacity of 81 students, and the most it has transported at one time is 55.
Campbell says district officials hope to have the route restored as soon as possible.
“We understand that suspending service creates a significant hardship for families, and we regret the disruption this causes,” says Campbell. “We appreciate families working with us to reinforce the expectations that make safe, reliable transportation possible for all students.”
EastIdahoNews.com has reached out to the Bonneville Joint School District 93 Superintendent Scott Woolstenhulme for more information, but we have not yet received a response.
We will update if we learn more.