School bus stress

[HouseofEliot]

My Dd started secondary last week and is catching the bus to school. On her first day it didn't turn up to collect them at hometime.

Thursday and Friday was ok.

Today she went to get on at hometime and the driver said it was full. They had sent a single decker instead of a double.

She rang me on Wednesday and today to collect her. Surely this isn't normal. I am paying for a bus pass but still having to collect her. I have rang the bus operator who said they will investigate but they are under no obligation to send a bus even if it is on the timetable they have told me. This is a special school bus. It would be a 15 minute walk in an area she doesn't know to get a public bus home. She doesn't know anyone local to get the bus with.

Any advice welcome.

Phone the school - they should liaise with the bus company.

We had this last year and i had several phone calls with both the school and the bus company. I hated the way it was all out of my control (she'd never been late for Primary). It was always on the way to school that it was late/missed/full though. Never on the way home.

I think it was just teething problems as it settled down a few weeks into term once they realised how many kids they were pickign up at her top. It had been a big increase on the previous year.

If i were you i'd get onto the school and get them to chase the bus company. We were given £50 compensation (off the next term's bus pass) for the inconvenience caused in those early weeks.

Thanks I have emailed the school I hope they can get it sorted out.

There is a difference if you are going to the catchment school or not. If you are getting a school bus to your nearest catchment school (or nearest 3 if you are on low income) then the bus is free and it is the responsibility of the council to get your child to school.

If you are paying for the bus then you are probably not in the category above and thus it is your responsibility to get them to school.

This matters because if the bus breaks down etc then the local council have to stump up for a taxi and sort it all out if it is their responsibility and you have to sort it out yourself if it is your responsibility.
Harsh I know

It's worth asking the bus company if they are checking bus passes and also checking those with passes should be on that bus and not on a different one. If the driver is not checking passes properly you run the risk of your child being left behind because someone is on the bus that shouldn't be.

Forgot to say that the school has little control over the bus company. I always ring the council school transport office and they often know why the bus is late or they do get straight onto the bus company and find out. It is the school transport office at the council that has the power over the bus company as they issue the contract.
I don't work for the council or the school but have found all this out through experience.