News Summary

Parents in New Britain are increasingly frustrated with First Student, the contracted bus company responsible for transporting special needs students. Reports of late pickups, incorrect drop-offs, and communication failures have caused significant distress among families. One mother described how her son, with autism, ended up 40 miles away from home due to a GPS failure, while another reported her nonverbal son was mistakenly taken to the wrong town. The school district acknowledges these issues and is considering penalties against the company as they work toward solutions.

New Britain

Families Voice Frustration Over Delays and Errors in Special Needs Student Transportation

Parents in New Britain are expressing growing concern and frustration during the first week of the new school year due to ongoing issues with First Student, the contracted bus company responsible for transporting students with special needs. Multiple reports indicate that transportation services have been unreliable, with instances of late pickups, late drop-offs, and students being taken to incorrect locations.

Key Incidents Highlight Transportation Challenges

One parent, Somers McCray, shared her experience involving her son, who has autism. On his first day of school, her son’s day ended in Waterbury at 3:30 p.m., but he did not arrive home. Upon contacting dispatch, McCray was told that the GPS tracking system on her son’s bus had been lost, leaving her unable to track his whereabouts directly. Using her own iPhone locator, she discovered her son was in Danbury, nearly 40 miles away.

McCray coordinated with the bus driver and dispatcher to meet her son at a 7-Eleven in Southington. Her son reported feeling scared, tired, hungry, and in pain from the lengthy travel ordeal. This incident underscores significant safety and emotional concerns raised by parents during the first week of school.

Similar Reports from Other Parents

Another parent, Lilly Reyes, recounted a troubling incident involving her nonverbal son, who uses a wheelchair. The student was scheduled to be transported to a school in Killingly, but instead was mistakenly driven to Plainville. Consequently, he arrived late at 10:45 a.m. The mistake was attributed to the driver lacking proper paperwork required for specialized transportation.

Reyes described the emotional toll on her son, including increased occurrences of self-harm and behavioral dysregulation due to the transportation errors. She also reported a separate incident where her son was stranded at school for over two hours after the bus broke down on the highway, leading to additional delays and distress.

District Acknowledges Transportation Issues

Superintendent Dr. Tony Gasper admitted that there have been communication problems and that First Student was unprepared for the start of the school year. These issues have resulted in numerous late arrivals, some students arriving home hours later than scheduled. The district has expressed its intent to improve communication with parents to inform them proactively about delays and issues.

Actions Taken by the School District and First Student

First Student issued an apology to the affected families and acknowledged the challenges they are facing with timely deliveries and driver shortages. The company is working to address the problems by bringing in out-of-state drivers and vehicles, as well as offering incentives to attract qualified drivers. Despite these efforts, ongoing staffing shortages continue to hamper punctuality.

The school district has also indicated that it is considering financial penalties against First Student as a measure to ensure accountability and prompt resolution of transportation problems. A formal notice of concern was issued to the company, demanding a comprehensive corrective action plan to resolve issues in a timely manner.

Background and Ongoing Concerns

These transportation problems have persisted since First Student took over the contract for specialized student transportation services in June. The issues have included multiple instances of students being dropped off late or transported to incorrect locations, which has caused increasing distress among families and school staff alike.

Parents and school officials continue to monitor the situation as both parties seek sustainable solutions to restore safe, reliable, and timely transportation for students with special needs in New Britain.

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Additional Resources

• NBC Connecticut
• Wikipedia: School Bus
• WFSB
• Google Search: School Transportation Issues
• WTNH
• Google Scholar: School Bus Service Issues
• NBC Connecticut
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Transportation Services
• CT Insider
• Google News: New Britain School Bus Problems

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