I am so upset with first student always a new driver today my daughter was knocked out of her seat by the wild driver and has a knot on the back of her head another child has a chipped tooth from this wild ride who do I report this to this is not alright and I am scared.

I'm in the northern part of Ohio we have First Student and the bus that picks my younger child up is late every day. Making me late for work. The original pick up time was around 7:10,now I'm lucky if the bus shows up at 7:35, the latest has been 7:55.When I have to be a work at 7:45.The bus comes right in front of my house and picks other children on the street right in front of their homes when I ask could I walk my child over to the neighbors house across from my house, I was told by dispatch that she wouldn't allow that because it was unsafe and they didn't want the liability I explained to the dispatch that I was more than capable of walking my child across the street, the dispatch told me if I had a problem they could make my child walk up to a half mile to catch the bus. Common sense my child walks 10 houses down out of sight with a known registered sexual predator. He is the only one at the stop no crossing guard. In the winter the snowplows pack the snow so high that there’s no place for him to stand except in the street, but yet they say their concerned for his safety. My family needs help we call the school board but they gave my the song and dance about if they change it for my child they would have to do it for everyone they didn't investigate just dismiss us.

Usually a school district has a damage clause in the contract with the carrier about getting a reduction in price from companies like First Student if they are late. If it is in place, is anyone checking into this. If not, shame on the district for not including it!

I am a school bus driver with about 6 years experience. In order to run an efficent bus system EVERYONE in the office has to do their share and sometimes go "above and beyond" in order to keep the buses on time and running smoothly. This means, if a driver has not signed in at their correct time, to have a spare driver out on that route BEFORE the route departure time! Not 30 minutes later! It's also important to have the buses regularly tuned and maintaned (no matter what the age of the bus) so they don't keep breaking down in route! Very simple things can be done in office to ensure the drivers have the most up to date routing, student list, stops and times, and a running bus it order to do their jobs safely and timely! (it also helps when the staff at the school cooperates with the driver and the bus company!) THANKS!

It's about the money, not about either party’s compassion, in my opinion. The age of the buses remained within the contract. The savings belongs to FS, not to the so-called "peoples money" that the district attempts to present within their distortion of the facts, if not outright lying to the public. FS made their sales pitch and the resulting contract is what contracts can turn out to be, sort of an agreement that favors the most creative party. The details are managed within the reality of both party’s ethics. FS may be providing poor service, a separate issue, but the school board made the decision to become greedy. The board let their own greed wipe out what now appears may have been a better arrangement prior to the school board triggering FS to become a singularity, which in turn sent two other contractors and the people’s money into a black hole. Over time the long-sight may have actually saved the quality of the service and also produced better results using the peoples money to get kids safely to and from school. (jk)

NetGuru I do drive my son to/from school EVERYDAY! I didnt vote for everyone of the people on the school board. But everyone that you vote for wont win everytime. But what it comes down to is as a Cincinnati resident the school district dont have much to choose from for transportation. I also would never let my son ride on Petermann or Riggs since they are just as bad. Its not all the school districts falt when it comes down to it its the bus companies who have idiots running them. You act as living in the city is a bad thing. I love living in the city and I love my sons school. I know for a fact that I would reather deal with a "bus" problem then having a horrible school. I did get what my husband and I payed for, a wonderful school that has my son ahead in school then other kids his age in other schools. Not all school boards make the right decisions all the time. Even Forest Hills School District has made bad decisions. So are the folks there getting what they payed for, a middle school principal with 3 assistances and yet having to down size their bus service. So really no matter where you live you are going to have something that you dont like about your school. I just feel that the school has their hands tyed when it comes down to which bus company to choose from because there isnt a quality one out there. I believe the State needs to come down on them to make the guidelines stricker on these bus companies, some of these bus drivers didnt even make it out of highschool.

girlsopinion - 6/25/2010 11:58 PM --- NO, it is NOT funny, it is a LAUGH RIOT! This is your city at their finest. As a city resident, you got what you paid for, and city council, First Student, and I bet you may have even voted for the clowns that signed the contract to use First Student. If you do not like the bus company, drive your son to school. Perhaps it is time the parents start attending school board meetings and council meetings.

To NetGuru this isnt funny! If your child was suppose to be on one of these buses you'd be upset if it didnt pick them up. Many of these families are working families, and if that bus driver skips that childs stop what would you suggest that parent to do? I love that my son can pick the school he wants, it gives us the ability to choose the school that fits him. I choose a smaller, safer school outside of our neighboring school. It dont only give him the chance to get a good education but meet different children from different lifestyles. Its common for children to repeat what they see so if you live in a rough neighborhood they may never lift out of that, this gives them the edge to see there is more to life. I choose for my son not to ride with First Student because they are horrible. Not only with their timing, and lack of organization but they cant drive. Some of their drivers are poorly trained. I have seen them run red lights, pass other school buses while children where loading and unloading and go way over the speed limit while on the cell phone. I myself dont enjoy the stinky buses, but they are needed. Im blessed to be a stay at home mother who is able to take her son to and from school but that isnt logical for most families. So I think that these families deserve to know that their children are being transported safely. Not only that, we all deserve to know our tax money that is being payed to this company is going to a worthy company and its not!

Oh this is si incedibly funny! First, I hate school busses. ids should go to the school in thier neighborhood, not across town. Next, First Student guts the IT department, and out sources... they are getting exactly what they wanted.