MEMPHIS, Tenn. — As parents make sure final preparations are in place before they send their kids back to school in the Mid-South, one of the biggest tasks will be how their child gets to school.
“It’s a really exciting time, because we can’t wait to see our little faces,” said Bob Nardo, Libertas School of Memphis' executive director.
Whether it is a small school, or the state's largest public school district, Nardo tells ABC24 the final days before the start of the school year are huge in order to make sure bus plans are ready to go.
“Creating bus routes is quite the science,” Nardo said. “For young children in particular, it’s not always safe to walk to school.”
Libertas itself has three bus routes, but the amount can change drastically depending on which school district you ask.
Tipton County Schools has 130 routes, but Memphis Shelby County Schools likely has the most.
The state's largest public school district has a fleet of more than 300 combined general and special education buses, all of which travel more than 27,000 miles a day to take students to and from school.
Tipton County school leaders say the summer months are dedicated to making sure those routes are finalized, along with hiring and training new drivers after former ones retire. The good news, according to TCS Transportation Services, is the shortages that may have existed in years following the pandemic.
"Better than we've been in years," a TCS spokesperson said.
Even so, this has not taken away the importance districts have placed on making sure buses are up to code and everyone knows where, and when, their bus stops are.
“It is so important that school busses are up to code and safe…but there’s also coordinating with the families,” Nardo said. “Don’t wait. Make sure you call the school office as soon as possible. Make sure that you’re on the list and ask for that bus status.”
For some districts, you can even find the bus your child will ride to school online. MSCS has a Find My Bus feature through THIS LINK, all you need is your child's address and upcoming grade level.
But ahead of the first day of school, it is still recommended students show up to their bus stop at least five minutes before pickup to avoid holding up the route, or missing it entirely. Nardo also recommended that parents send their children on the bus with a snack or a book to help them reduce the chance of being a distraction to the bus driver.
“They love the children, but they have to have their focus on the road," Nardo said. "So please don’t rely on a school bus driver to be a disciplinarian. Allow them to do their job as a safety professional, and we do our job as parents and teachers for kids to be well-behaved."