Dear Lakewood Scoop Parents,
We have all been impacted in one way or another by the challenges in the school bussing situation, some of us more than others, but we all know at least one family who have been impacted. If we feel that it’s not an issue, I think we can all agree that even if other children in a school are late, that it impacts chinuch for all the other students indirectly.
In the last year, there has been some progress made in consolidating districts with the LSTA absorbing many more students and routes into their system, which like other infrastructure in Lakewood, was not designed to handle the volume or complexity of the growth we have, B”H experienced over the past 15 or so years.
The ability of a person, a group of people, or even a consortium of parents and askanim to manage the amount of data points of individual stops, destinations and available drivers is inadequate. This problem involves complex algorithms with more variables than can be managed or even calculated by humans. This solution does not require “more patience”.
We need to be honest with ourselves and admit that just like it would be impossible for us to say, make the complex calculations to send a rocket into space using pencils and paper, that we need to consider other solutions never before available to tackle this critical task.
There is a solution in place across many similar districts that utilizes Artificial Intelligence to take in the variables of available drivers, including private vans, student addresses, acceptable safe stop locations, and end school destinations and can then work up a list of routes within A FEW HOURS, which can then be tweaked by coaching the AI around variables for individual changes that work out better for the humans involved.
A school district that implemented this tool was only able to hire 60% of the drivers needed for their routes, similar to problems we had in Lakewood, and not only did the AI tool route all of the students on time, but it managed to save the district $500,000 in the first year alone for a cost of about $50,000 for the system.
I know that people may feel weary of something like this, parents, administrators and likely the LSTA, but we’re past the point of trying to shteig our way through this sugia. It’s an endless source of frustration to the LSTA that they can’t possibly please every parent with limited busses and constraints, but there is a modern solution that we cannot afford to ignore.
I implore every concerned parent to lobby the LSTA to begin looking at an AI solution for their sake, and the sake of our children’s education.
I will not advertise the name of the AI system, but if anyone is interested, please reach out to the Scoop and ask them to send me an inquiry and I can pass the contact information of the company. The much larger cities of Houston and Seattle both use this AI to tackle their challenges.
Let’s not put the blame on anyone for this problem, let’s offer constructive and comprehensive solutions because this situation is not something we can solve in a committee with shouting and pointing and strong arming the LSTA to fix only our children’s bus routes.
As an aside, this would effectively mean that the private vans would not cost us anything either, and they would be fairly compensated and managed.
Thank you for your consideration,
A concerned Lakewood parent.
TLS welcomes your letters by submitting them to [email protected]
I think your suggestion is a good one. However can the AI system handle the unique needs of the Lakewood community? Mesivta boys, minyan busses, HS girls, elementary boys and girls. All this needs to be taken into account. In other districts kids in same neighborhoods generally go to the same school and the schools are co-ed. That’s how the PS system works.
I’m totally for AI systems. It’s the future and Hashem created it for us to benefit from it. Just like Hashem gave us cars 🚘, electricity 🔌, and yes, the Internet 🌐.
Thank you!! Can we consolidate an email list of routes that are not working? It should be limited to these qualifications.
1. Inconsistent driver, meaning the run does not have a designated driver assigned to the route.
2. Routes longer than an hour
3. Routes arriving later than 15 minutes after dismissal time
4. Routes that have not showed at all.
5. Route that has insufficient seating
Please provide the route name.
TLS can we set up an email address for this? and then try to implement ai. We can then pair them with schools that have busing and are offering runs.
So many people are struggling with basics and the bus system is struggling with a limited amount of drivers; it’s time for BNEI TORAH (like myself) to get behind the wheel of a bus!!! Let’s take a page out of the Chassida communities. We should be championing those few that already to this most sacred and respectable work. I know a true Ben Torah, and when I asked him what he does for Parnasa, he said he drives a two routes in the morning, two in the afternoon and another two at night. The two at night were added once his wife quit her job. This Tzaddik told me, he loves his life. He’s done at 9:30, learned a full first Seder daily and has time to learn again in the later afternoon. He said his wages doubled over the last five years. Let’s start respecting this noble job!
It’s not unheard of for a dinner to make one $100k these days.
There is more than enough drivers in Lakewood…. There is More drivers then jobs available….. but the yeshivas can’t afford to keep up a bus from the rate LSTA is paying them… WHY DOES BROOKLYN NOT HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH BUSES RUNS DRIVERS…. It’s all about money this is all a distraction to get a way to play with the parents.
IF THIS PROGRAM WOULD BE RUN WITH DIRECT PAYMENTS TO THE SCHOOL TO PAY FOR THEIR OWN BUSES NONE OF THOSE PROBLEMS WOULD BE….
LAKEWOOD NEEDS THE SAME SYSTEM BROOKLYN HAS. EVERY YESHIVA HAS THEIR OWN BUSES AND BILLS THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION DIRECTLY
NO LSTA IS NEEDED
I have been saying this for many years.
Not all Brooklyn Mosdos have their own busses. Many do
AI System Booted Out of Lakewood For Proposing Remote Learning As Solution To Busing Crisis
An AI system in Lakewood, NJ was evicted from the township Saturday evening after thousands of Lakewoodians protested the system’s solution to the town’s Busing crisis.
The AI machine proposed that Lakewood Township resort to the same learning process it utilized during the pandemic, namely remote learning from home – which would obviate the need for busing.
“No way we’re staying home all day to supervise our children while they’re attending classes remotely at our kitchen and dining room tables!” said Aryeh and Rivka Classman, long time Lakewood residents who run a small business on Clifton Avenue. “Let’s set the record straight, we’re not going back to the pandemic days and turning our kitchen and dining room tables into 24/7 classrooms,” said Aryeh, who insisted that, “Kitchens and dining rooms were invented for the sole purposes of cooking and dining, not to watch Mr. Schwartz, my son’s history teacher, rambling on and on – via remote laptop connection – about the evils of communism and autocratic governance.”
“I enjoy history lessons, and I’d love to learn more about the iniquities of communism,” Aryeh added, “but not while I’m savoring a delicious steak sandwich or preparing a mouthwatering tuna wrap!”
The AI system reportedly agreed to leave town permanently Saturday night after thousands of Lakewood parents surrounded the system’s computer terminal and demanded that the system pack up all of its hardware, wiring and cables, and relocate itself to a different town.
“Okay, okay!” the AI system told the raucous crowd. “No need to throw me out of here! Trust me, as soon as my internal intelligence directs me to a more AI-friendlier town, I’m out of here, for good!”
How do the drivers get paid? Is it per route?
The only “solution” is to get rid of buses and have neighborhood schools, that kids can walk to.
Have the town set up in a way that kids can walk to school without risking life and limb.
I can’t see it happening.
Until everyone is willing to accept the reality that bussing has to be by neighborhood and destination rather than by specific schools we will continue to have unworkable problems.
It’s simple math. Todays system of drivers picking up by school means more miles of road covered per bus, so there are effectively more buses taking up more road causing more gridlock and so on.
Bussing by neighborhood to schools within a few blocks of each other means shorter routes, so less buses take up the road for shorter time each morning easing gridlock.
It was suggested in Brooklyn and went no where. Including with schools literally on the same block.
How does the AI account for traffic (the biggest variable in Lakewood)? I’ve tried playing around with every mapping system I could find and they only account for traffic on main roads, not on side roads (and they consider Pine and Martin Luther to be “side”). The mapping systems also doesn’t account for traffic lights and people who block the box not letting anyone go when the light turns green…
Yeah that wonderful system that cost Jackson 50k decided my child who lives over two miles from school should walk 🤣🤣🤭
@ shlomie some per rout and some per hpur
Depending on which Brooklyn Yeshiva.
What can we do with the AI Program? we are not making the routes, give it to the LSTA, they are the ones creating the bad routes
As an educator and educational leader, I do not think transportation of school kids ( public or private) of anyone no matter who you are should be a state/county/ or town financial issue!
Taxes should cover only the cost of educating everyone according to state and national standards of Math, Science, English , Art & Music and skill based career courses – not anything else!
Bussing should be totally abolished for all public and private school kids and Public School Kids and parents of all students given the names and addresses and phone numbers of private contractors to contact and pay out of their own pocket!
If the streets become too crowded then pay for widening the streets or do not over develop any area!
It is very simple- non confrontational answer as to what the taxes are for and what they are not for!