NAMPA, Idaho — Parents are raising safety concerns of overcrowding on Nampa School Buses.
- Parents in Nampa express frustration and concern over bussing issues during the first week of school
- One parent reports her son had to sit in the emergency exit because the bus was overcrowded
- Nampa School District acknowledges similar issues especially with transfer buses. The district says they're working to address the issue by sending additional buses. and plans to address them by sending additional buses
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
I'm your neighborhood reporter Jessica Davis and I talked with a mom who says her daughter was more than a dozen students on the school bus with nowhere to sit.
"What the hell are you guys doing."
That's the question a lot of parents are asking after the first week of school in Nampa proved to be a bit chaotic on the district's school buses.
Martinez says,
"My son said on his way home he had to sit in the emergency exit."
Danielle Martinez has two kids who go to South Middle School. She says when her son came home on Wednesday, he told her his bus was standing room only.
"He said that there were 17 other students that were standing not seated, because every other seat was taken with three kids."
Understandably, that left Martinez upset and concerned for her son's safety.
"Could you imagine the liability," she says, "If there was an accident and somebody's kid got hurt? You know I mean c'mon."
I reached out to the Nampa School District and a spokesperson told me they can't confirm that specific bus was overcrowded, but they have had similar issues reported to them this week. Especially with transfer buses, which take students from one school to another for certain programs. The district says they're working to address the issue by sending additional buses.
This isn't the first time we've heard from concerned parents.
"I am one of the parents of a high school students that were stranded at Skyview yesterday. Nobody knew that they were there. My child had to contact friends to come pick her up because it's a 40-minute walk from Nampa High to Skyview and a 2 hour walk from Skyview to my home."
On Tuesday parents addressed the district with concerns surrounding late buses, buses not arriving at all, and buses that are overcrowded.
Martinez says her kids urge her to dismiss the problem, she says
"I said this is a safety concern "cause they're like mom don't go don't freak out" it's not about freaking out its about safety."
Nampa School District says safety is their top priority and they'll be working quickly to get these issues resolved.
