Anusha Sambangi and Grace Wang
LAYOUT EDITOR, STAFF WRITER
Andover Public Schools’ transportation department changed bus routes and other transportation services to combat last year’s bus issues.
Compared to last year, most students and teachers have noticed variations in timings of buses during morning and afternoon rounds, as well as differences in the number of students on each bus. Many of the issues with last year’s services resulted from a bus driver shortage. This shortage still persists, leading Andover Public Schools’ transportation department to make adaptations to its service this year.
“We have seen an increase in ridership this year compared to years past,” said Cindy Button, transportation manager for Andover Public Schools. Button works with other administration members and Trombly Bus Services to review the buses and their routes each year. One of the changes made to this year’s services include an Andover Police Department officer at roads surrounding Andover High School. The officer helps direct increased traffic in the mornings and afternoons and more group stops on bus routes. According to Button, “the addition of a detail officer at AHS allows buses to enter and exit timelier.”
“This year, we [also] added two buses to our fleet of 38,” said Button. “The additional buses will not only help the full buses, but it will also help to have all [of them] run safely and efficiently for our families.” Button explained that group stops along with earlier drop-offs at AHS were needed to keep the buses timely for elementary routes.
Students loading buses after the final bell.
According to the students interviewed, issues with bus services are still present. Abinaya Ganesh, AHS junior, said their bus driver last year was “aggressively punctual,” coming at the same time every morning and dropping kids off at the same time every afternoon. However, for the first couple of days of school this year, the marked time on Ganesh’s bus pass was completely different from the actual pick-up time, and they “missed the bus the first two times” it had arrived. “There is no communication between parents, bus drivers, and the transportation department,” explained Ganesh. They hope to see future transparency with the buses and bus routes, as “that seems to be the main issue.”
AHS sophomore Christina Ahn said she was “not too happy” about her bus timings either. Like Ganesh, she has been experiencing issues with the timing of her bus. Ahn’s bus schedule has changed, and now, she arrives at school later than last year. “Last year, I would have time to wrap up any homework or print things at the library, but now I am running to class at times,” she said. Although “bus arrival time is much later than that of my bus last year, we have not been late to school yet,” she noted. Ahn observed that the buses are more crowded this year as well. She recalled that “there were enough seats for everyone to sit alone, but now many people have to sit in pairs.”
Emily Packer also noticed differences in the buses this year. Packer is an AHS junior who only takes the bus in the afternoons. For her, the biggest change was the location of her bus stop. Unlike previous years, her bus now has to stop at the end of her cul-de-sac rather than right in front of her house. Packer explained that she would like to see more “communication on the changes that will happen with bus routes.”
AHS Principal Caitlin Brown offered different insights on transportation services. Although Brown is not directly involved in managing bus routes or buses in general, she stated that she has “seen an improvement this year from last year in terms of the number of buses late.” At the end of last year, Brown and other faculty members provided feedback to the bus services on any problems they observed with school buses. Feedback was also taken from parents. A specific issue addressed by Brown was the lack of availability of some buses at the beginning of last year’s sports season; some buses were not accessible when needed, and there was a lack of clarity between AHS and Trombly. However, Brown mentioned that sports bus services are more organized this year.
Erica Frisk, AHS Art teacher, reflected Brown’s observations. Having not gotten many late passes this year, Frisk noted fewer students arriving at school late. She emphasized the importance of being on time for school. “It does affect your access to the curriculum…and you being at the same level as everyone in terms of knowing what we’re doing,” she said. Students who consistently arrive late are usually a bit behind.
