LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The school buses were back on the road Monday as Jefferson County Public School bus drivers practiced their routes for the upcoming school year.
But Tanesha Booker is a JCPS parent of two who won't take any risks, and won't let her daughters ride the bus after last year's transportation disaster.
"We contemplated letting her ride the bus this year but after last year, and we weren't sure what was going to happen this year, the safest bet was to just keep her where she was," she said.
Drivers have told WHAS11 News they were feeling optimistic about this school year since most will be driving the same routes in the morning and afternoon.
"So far, there should be no route beyond 6 p.m. if it goes as planned," Teamsters Local Union 783 President Justin Scharrer told WHAS11 News.
Booker doesn't doubt that; she just wants to see it happen first.
The district sent families information about it's 485-RIDE hotline on Monday; that's where JCPS staff members answer phones between 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the week, to provide parents with details before the first day of school.
A new Bus Teller Portal also opened for guardians to see what bus stop is assigned to their JCPS student.
While Booker is happy the information is available, she felt it should have been made available sooner.
"The portal that just came out for the car riders and bus, that just came out today," she said. "School is in less than three weeks so I need to see it because last year was a mess all year."
Booker is also concerned about families who may not have access to the internet or devices.
"They may just have basic phones that they can just call and text they don't have internet on their phones so they're not going to be able to utilize the portal to even look at it," she said.
Overall, Booker is just waiting to see how this school year will go and hopes the first day isn't like last year's.