LAFAYETTE, La. — As the school year kicks off, parents are finding themselves faced with a troubling issue: overcrowded school buses. Many have taken to social media to voice their frustrations and concerns for safety.
Megan Chauvin, a parent with a fifth grader and a tenth grader in school, shared her worries.
“My daughter actually texted me when she got on the bus saying it was overcrowded. There were three high schoolers per seat, plus another 10 to 15 students standing up,” Chauvin tells KATC.
The administration at Lafayette High, according to Chauvin, had to prevent some students from getting on the bus.
“Some parents had to go pick them up,” Chauvin added.
KATC asked about the primary safety concerns associated with overcrowded buses.
“For me, the biggest safety concern is obviously kids standing up on the bus. The overcrowding can’t be safe. They could get off at the wrong stops because they feel uncomfortable or unsafe.”
According to the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration, there are no federal regulations specifying the number of students that can occupy a school bus seat. It’s typically left to school transportation providers to determine how many individuals can safely fit in each seat.
Generally, they fit three smaller elementary school students or two adult high school students into a typical 39-inch school bus seat.
Louisiana law states:
"It shall be unlawful for the driver or operator of any school bus while transporting school children to permit any child to stand in said bus while same is in motion if there is seating space available for the use of such child.
It shall be unlawful for anyone responsible for the transportation of school children on school buses, including drivers or operators of buses, transportation supervisors, school superintendents, and members of parish and city school boards to permit a number of children exceeding the number of seats available on a bus to be transported at one time on such bus."
According to Chauvin, the excessive number of students being dropped off caused her daughter to be late getting home.
“It took my daughter almost an hour and a half to get home. She was the last one off the bus yesterday. It was a long ride," she says.
Videos and photos show students standing during their bus ride.
KATC reached out to the Lafayette Parish School System for a statement regarding the overcrowding issue. They responded:
"The start of every school year comes with transportation challenges, and we want you to know that we are working hard to address them quickly. Our transportation system is the result of months of planning, and our team stands ready to make adjustments as needed. In just the first two days, we identified opportunities to improve routes, made changes, and added stops based on feedback from parents and families.
We need your partnership to help us keep students safe and on time. Some middle and high school buses are currently overcrowded. Transportation is available to all Lafayette Parish students, but our routes are planned using the list of riders we have on record. To keep the system running efficiently, it is essential that:
- Your student rides only their assigned bus.
- Your student is registered in our system as a bus rider. You can check Parent Portal or J-Campus to confirm. If they are not listed, please contact your school clerk so we can update their status.
- Questions or concerns are submitted through our online transportation form. Submissions are checked regularly and routed to the right staff member. This process allows us to address individual issues and spot any widespread concerns. The transportation line is also available at 337-521-RIDE.
This process allows us to address individual issues and spot any widespread concerns. The transportation line is also available at 337-521-RIDE.
We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we work through these early-year adjustments. Together, we can ensure your student gets to and from school safely and on time.
For Chauvin, her primary concern is ensuring that her children and others have a safe ride to school.
"The public school system has a duty to provide transportation for these children. Hopefully, they can work out the kinks. I’m sure some parents will end up driving their kids to school."
