WV Lawmakers Seek to Set Time Limits on School Bus Rides
WV Lawmakers Seek to Set Time Limits on School Bus Rides Save Email Print
Posted: 5:29 PM Feb 26, 2008
Last Updated: 5:29 PM Feb 26, 2008
Reporter: The Associated Press
Email Address: news@wsaz.com

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The ongoing debate over long school bus rides in West Virginia has spawned a House-approved attempt to enforce statewide guidelines for younger students.

Passed to the Senate on Tuesday, the bill envisions half-hour bus routes one way for children in kindergarten through fifth grade. The bill also recommends 45-minute trips for intermediate and junior high schools, and an hour for high schools.

The bill would only apply to future routes prompted by new or
consolidated schools or closings. Counties would need the state's
approval for such routes that would last at least 15 minutes longer. But it would bar waivers for routes exceeding the standard by 30 or more minutes.

Delegates voted 95-3. Opponents argued it wrongly dictated policy to county schools.

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Posted by: reader on Feb 27, 2008 at 04:52 PM
I think they should have buses for grade school students only they should not be bused with middle school and high school students! Middle school students should have their own buses and so should high school students!

Posted by: Anonymous on Feb 27, 2008 at 09:43 AM
My child gets on the bus at 6:36 -7 in the morm and 2:30 -3:30 in the afternoon . She is in Pre-K . This is crazy and nothing to do about it .

Posted by: TIM MERRITT on Feb 27, 2008 at 08:36 AM
man the only thing i can say on this 1 is that when i was in school i had to catch the bus at 5:45am and didnt get to school until 7:25am we lived on spurlock creek and had to travel to milton we had a great elementary in the community until the BOE decided that it would be better to close it down and bus the smaller kids all the way to milton as well I just think the BOE needs to get there heads out of there wherever it is and concentrate more on the children instead of how to save a dollar for thereselves and i think they need to bring back the paddle and prayer to the school system i strongly believe thats when the hole thing began to go down hill when they took it out

Posted by: Parent on Feb 27, 2008 at 08:32 AM
I have a kindergartener and a second grader that ride the bus for 45 min in the morning and 1 hr 10 min in the afternoon...we live in Scott Depot and everyone knows the schools are on top of each other, no reason for the long ride....we need more busses and the drivers need to be paid a better wage!!!

Posted by: Steve bus driver on Feb 27, 2008 at 08:04 AM
This means more buses more drivers, more money, are people willing to pay more taxes to pay for this and driver are too hard find now this will mean shorter routes are you going to pay enough to get drivers.most driver are paid 180 or so days a year and they try to raise family on this and most have kids on these bus too!

Posted by: concerned parent on Feb 26, 2008 at 11:37 PM
we live exactly 4 minutes from the elementary & middle school and my children arrive at home any where between 3:40 pm and 3:50 pm- that is crazy why do they need to wait on tolsia high school bus to come and pick them up- when i went to school and no it wasnt in wv but high school & elementary kids were not on the same bus

Posted by: Diann on Feb 26, 2008 at 11:29 PM
Parents in rural areas pay more property tax if they own more land. The more land you own, the more property tax you have to pay. People that live in towns have less property, therefore pay less. Children should be getting at least one hour of exercise a day. Walking 20 miles a week is GOOD for them. It's great for anyone.

Posted by: John on Feb 26, 2008 at 11:11 PM
The biggest cause of long bus trips are parents deciding to live out in the boondocks. What do they expect? When you live 2hrs from town you cannot expect a short ride. I find it funny that they do not complain about a 2hr drive to Wal-Mart or the grocery store. When you live out in the boonies this is the price your children pay.

Posted by: wayne on Feb 26, 2008 at 09:00 PM
we live 2 sec from the school and my kids are on the bus from 245 until 400. there is not much we can do about it since we are not home from work until 330 so they have to ride the bus but a shorter ride would be alot safer since the older kids(high schoolers) ride with elem. kids. we have had problems with this as well and if the younger ones were off the bus sooner maybe they wouldnt get picked on as much nor as bad

Posted by: Kevin Maynard on Feb 26, 2008 at 08:24 PM
Hey I got an Idea lets consolidate more schools I'm sure that will help... I got picked up at 6:15 am to arrive at school just before 8:00 am 10 years ago when I was in School.

Posted by: Ann on Feb 26, 2008 at 08:11 PM
Dictating policy to county school boards is the only way change will happen. Students that live in rural areas have long over looked. Parent in the rural areas pay far more property tax in the county and their students should receive better service than they are recieving. My children bus stop is 1.9 miles away (one way) from home. Guess what, the school board change the policy of paying them to walk to 2 miles. Lets calculate that. 4 miles a day x 5 days that 20 miles a week. The school board members don't walk that why should my children.

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