Second school district blames company for failed bus plan
MARTINSVILLE, Ind. (WISH) – Another central Indiana school district has spoken out about bus transportation trouble at the start of the academic year.
Late Wednesday night, the superintendent for MSD Martinsville released a statement to families blaming a consulting company for failing to meet the district’s transportation needs.
Dr. Michele Moore wrote that the school corporation hired True Consultant Service in February 2017 to reorganize routes to accommodate students who had previously walked to school and arrange buses by student age groups.
Moore said a route plan promised for the start of the school year was not ready when school started in Martinsville on Monday, August 7.
“At this time, we still have students to route, several of our buses are overcrowded, students are on buses for too long, and some pickup and drop-off locations are not deemed appropriate for students. We have listened to parents’ and bus drivers’ concerns and felt their frustration. After a meeting with our bus drivers, principals, and Mr. Mills tonight, we all have decided to return to our bus route system from previous years,” Moore wrote in part of the announcement.
The superintendent highlighted that her district learned two other districts, Muncie Community Schools and Perry Township Schools also experienced similar problems with True Consultant Service.
In early August, Muncie Community Schools canceled two of the first three days of school because buses were too late or never showed to pick up students through a new routing system.
True Consultant’s Chief Operating Officer was reached for comment early Thursday.
Tarry Schabel said he did not have a statement to make about the school districts’ complaints. When asked if the company would be addressing the issues publicly in the near future, Schabel said it would not.