Two bus companies in Lakewood submitted the following joint message to TLS:
As we approach the start of the school year, we want to take a moment to address some important details regarding the bus schedules and timing.
We understand that the first week or two of the school year can come with some adjustments as everyone gets settled into the new routine. The timing of our bus routes is carefully planned, and we are closely monitoring and making adjustments as needed to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Please know that any instances of lateness are being actively addressed.
During this initial period, you may notice that the arrival windows for some buses may vary—some routes may run slightly behind schedule, while others may arrive ahead of time. We ask for your understanding and flexibility as these schedules settle into a more predictable pattern.
For the way home, it is especially important that parents are present at the bus stops when their children arrive, even if the wait times are longer than expected. When parents are not at the stops, it can cause significant delays as buses may have to wait or, in some cases, return students to the school. This not only affects your child but also disrupts the entire route, causing further delays for others.
To help us serve you better and avoid an unnecessary influx of phone calls, we kindly ask for your patience during this time. If you have any requests or suggestions, we recommend directing them through the school. Schools often receive similar suggestions, and handling these requests through them helps ensure we don’t receive multiple calls for the same issue.
When calling regarding a specific route, please have the route number handy so that we can address your concerns as efficiently as possible. We understand that our phone lines are extremely busy, and while we strive to address every call, the beginning of the school season requires patience. Unfortunately, we may not be able to get to every call, despite our best efforts.
We are confident that things will fall into place, and we will continue to work diligently to meet the needs of our riders. While we would love to answer every call, we ask for your understanding and patience as we focus on fine-tuning the transportation process to ensure it works efficiently for everyone.
Thank you for your cooperation and support.
While we understand that the bus schedule may be unpredictable there’s a reason for this delay. By large , the bus drivers have no idea where they are going. It behooves any driver not to review the route ahead of time and familiarize themselves with the drive. Or at the fey lest let the bus company / use Waze to map out the drive ahead of time
Imagine getting such a message from any service provider that is actually held accountable by their customer base. The company would be out of business in less than 24 hours!
The utter lack of mentschlichkeit is appalling! There is absolutely no regard whatsoever for people’s time. How is it that in 2024 we can’t see in real time where the busses are holding on their route, and what the estimated time of arrival is to a child’s stop.
Umm…
I just got a similar message from my bank regarding however everything is going to be in disarray for the next few weeks because of a merger.
Optimum was even worse.
Messages like these are routinely used to manage expectations during expected times of turbulence by all manner of businesses.
You don’t need to be such a צר עין.
There was a company called Bustraq that wanted to do just that. Track Buses but the bus companies didn’t let Lakewood two ship adopt the technology. So it’s out there!
A simple app such as the following would solve every problem this letter serves to address. If only the bus companies would stop being stingy and greedy and do the right thing.
buswhere.com
Is there any way we can track the bus ourselves so we don’t have to call in asking where our bus is?
You can leave an AirTag in your kids briefcase at least for the way home. You will know where your kids are.
Just wait out a half hour early and it may come half hour late or may never show up
Good summary !
And most importantly, don’t forget to send along an oxygen mask with your kids while going on the bus, since there is no law yet that every bus needs air condition, the phrase never leave a child in a hot car only applies to a car but a bus is OK to leave children even if it’s 106 degrees inside.
The main reason for this delay is because every parent needs to talk to the driver delaying the route and all the cars on road.
I know of one such parent who chats with bus drivers.
What exactly do you have to talk to the driver for for so long? Strange
I agree. Most of the drivers are not familiar with the neighborhood and sometimes simply don’t realize the street they’re looking for is only 2 blocks away. It would be best if they could practice the route a few times even in a car. Like you mentioned just to familiarize themselves with the route.
Year ago the bus drivers went 2 days before the route started and practiced the route for familiarity. Don’t know when or why that stopped
Stuck in Toms River with dangerous awful stops on main busy streets blocks and blocks away from our houses.
Totally agree. They have my boys walking past an intersection closer to my house to go to one further away. This includes my 3rd and 1st graders. The funny part is, that the bus will be passing the intersection closer to me. Of course they say not to talk to them. They’re not interested in dealing with their mess ups.
TLS – Please send this letter back to the bus companies.
Dear Operators of the Bus Companies
Can all of your buses be fitted with a simple tracker device (like an apple airtag) that will allow parents to track the location of their respective bus? (Think Uber, the MTA app, etc.).
This is a cheap and simple solution.
Children when know when to expect their bus in the morning and parents will not have to wait around by the busstop for a long time at pickup.
Just put one in your child’s backpack.
That doesn’t help if you’re waiting in the morning for the bus to come
SS – here is a better idea. Stick an airtag to the back of the bus when it pulls up to take your kid.
That’s really obnoxious to say don’t make “unnecessary phone calls” while your children are lost with us or they week skipping stops entirely.
Remember, it has been more than 25 years since the widespread adoption of onboard navigation, so there is no excuse for busses being lost or missing its stops. It is quite reasonable to expect the schools to transport our children with the same care and competence that Domino’s delivers pizzas.
Every bus route should have chat and when it arrives to the first kid on the route, the mother should let everyone know so they know when it will be by them.
The fact is, not sure if any of the bus companies have good customer service anymore. When you call up, never helpful. Some busses and drivers are unreliable. Many of the drivers are a major issue. There absolutely should be an app. Leaving aside the above letter, I certainly hope the companies have made major changes, investments into their operations or change will be needed. ( and advice not very accurate. When we call the school, they say nothing they can do, call the bus company). I do appreciate the bus drivers that are a mensch and are reliable, smile at the kids and greet them and are respectful. It’s noticed and very much appreciated
Presidential actually has great customer service!! My calls have always been answered and they were always kind and helpful on the phone
everyone stop kvetching . if you are unsatisfied you can move to a town that does not give bus service at all . my children live out of lakewood in two different cities and have to car pool everyday. just be patient and things will work out by succos i have nothing to do with the bus companies but i just understand their situaationj
Maybe if you let the parents track the bus they wont be calling in with all their requests. You can track the bus via GPS on the bus, so why cant we access it instead of calling you to access it and check??
For the way home an easy fix is put an airtag on it child or their bag. It’s easiest way to track them.
My sister does that & noticed one day 15 min after dismissal her son was still in school. She called to find out why he hadn’t gotten on the bus only to find out he was on the bus but he left his bag behind .lol
Many people are suggesting using an Airtag… I have both Airtags and Samsung Smart tags in my kids knapsacks. Tracking only updates if they are within range of an Apple or Android device where the owner has authorized their device to allow it to be used for that service. Often times they have been way behind, up to a half hour. Times that it has tracked, we were able to see the convoluted route our drivers took that gets everyone home later than they could have the kids home.
Calling the bus companies does nothing. They don’t want to hear it and for the most part are rude. The letter suggests notifying the schools, but like someone mentioned above, the schools say that the companies don’t listen to them.
I concur with the others above, busses should have a tracker that parents have access to.
Your attitudes are appalling!! I work in a school , do you have ANY IDEA how much work goes into setting up the busses, routes etc???? And we don’t have staggered start times, its BOOM all at once, drivers on the road, pressured to get from school to school, add in those parents who stop to talk to the driver, the stress is real! But everyone is only focused on themselves!!
Another point, has anyone ever thanked the bus companies or drivers or hk”bh when the buses do come on time and run smoothly???? Or complaining is the only language we know??
Why not have a tracking system for parents to see?
As if we don’t have enough people doing dangerous things cutting off the busses trying to get them to stop cause they want there children earlier or missed the bus.
And when a accident happens its always the bus drivers fault.
How many times have people cut me off illegally and dangerously for the great reason that they couldn’t get there kids out on time