JEROME, Idaho — Seven weeks into the Jerome School District’s new bus system, some parents say problems continue despite district efforts to address the issues that forced class cancellations early in the school year.
Magi Trejo has two daughters — one in middle school and one in high school — who are scheduled for pickup around 6:15 a.m. The students must walk about 10 minutes from their home along an unlit rural road to reach their bus stop.
“It’s really dark! And my concern is because there's no streetlights in our neighborhood — we live in the country,” Trejo said.
WATCH: Jerome families still facing bus frustrations —
Trejo said many of her concerns would be resolved if the driver picked up her daughters at their home, as had been the practice for the past 10 years.
“In my email, it clearly says my kids are going to be picked up at our address, but they are not being picked up,” Trejo said.
She added that, despite receiving several emails promising fixes, the situation has worsened.
“We got several emails saying they were going to fix the issues, but it’s even worse, to be honest,” she said.
Jerome Superintendent Brent Johnson acknowledged the challenges of balancing individual needs with system efficiency.
“How do we accommodate everyone in a way that reduces route times and uses our bus capacities to the best possible? There are facets on every side of that conversation,” Johnson said.
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At the start of the school year, the district was overwhelmed with rider correction requests and complaints that tied up phone lines and overflowed voicemail systems. The district later created a web form for parents to submit corrections, receiving about 700 forms.
Johnson said the volume of complaints has now slowed significantly and recommends parents like Trejo contact transportation services directly. Trejo said she has called but has not received a response.
Despite ongoing challenges, Johnson emphasized the long-term benefits of the new system.
“This was a great undertaking — it was challenging — but it’s also one that’s going to pay dividends for our community, our staff, and our students,” Johnson said. “I don’t know that we’re ever going to be like, ‘It’s all good forever.’ We want to continually work to improve.”
Parents who continue to have concerns are encouraged to contact Jerome School District Transportation Services directly.
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