Some Lafayette Parish students got home a little later than normal today because bus routes were running behind.
A dozen routes were canceled this morning and about 10 canceled this afternoon because the school system say more drivers "called in" than usual.
"I think we just had more than normal occur today," says Lafayette Parish School System spokesperson Allison Dickerson.
Dickerson says not only were more drivers out than normal, but substitute drivers were not available.
"We're having bus drivers work on alternate routes so this is just part of the transportation departments rules and responsibilities to make sure that the students get to and from school." says Dickerson.
Friday morning, students from 18 schools in the parish did not get picked up by their buses.
Parents either brought them to school or the student just did not attend. Parents were notified through the school boards text messaging system, but some of those messages were not received right away.
Dickerson says, "They start going out instantaneously. Obviously when you're reaching numbers of people sometimes those calls and texts are in queue, but they do start going out immediately."
The school system is excusing any student who was tardy this morning because their bus was late or did not pick them up.
