HCPSSSuperintendent Transportation Update – Several Routes Restored, Sept. 3, 2023
September 3rd, 2023
Update: The email contained incorrect schools for buses 1090 and 1173. That information has been corrected below.
The following is adapted from a message sent by HCPSS Superintendent Dr. Michael Martirano to HCPSS staff, students and families on Sunday, Sept. 3, 2023:
I am pleased to share that 11 of the 20 bus routes that were temporarily suspended last week will be restored for Tuesday morning. We are continuing to work with all our contractors to bring the remaining nine routes back and will provide another update as soon as possible.
Bus Service Restored
The following routes will be restored beginning Tuesday, September 5, 2023:
Please note: The new bus number may not show correctly in HCPSS Family File until Monday, Sept. 4, after the system updates overnight. The pickup times in Family File will remain the same.
| Old Bus No. | New Bus No. | Schools Served | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1020 | 936 | Mt. Hebron HS, Patapsco MS, St. John’s Lane ES | |
| 1023 | 937 | Centennial HS, Centennial Lane ES, St. John’s Lane ES | |
| 1053 | 221 | Dunloggin MS, Burleigh Manor MS, Northfield ES | |
| 1078 | 850 | Clarksville MS, Pointers Run ES | |
| 1122 | 306 | Patuxent Valley MS, Murray Hill MS | |
| 1154 | 597 | Wilde Lake HS, Wilde Lake MS, Running Brook ES | |
| 1155 | 220 | Oakland Mills HS, Phelps Luck ES, Thunder Hill ES | |
| 1161 | 803 | Atholton HS, Thunder Hill ES | |
| 1163 | 882 | Wilde Lake HS, Wilde Lake MS | |
| 1168 | 919 | Atholton HS, Mayfield Woods MS, Bellows Spring ES | |
| 1191 | 879 | Long Reach HS, Lake Elkhorn MS, Atholton ES |
Temporarily Suspended Buses
At this time, the following routes will remain temporarily suspended as we continue our efforts to bring on additional drivers through any of our bus contractors:
- 1148 – Atholton HS, Cradlerock ES
- 1165 – Atholton HS, Wilde Lake MS
- 1070 – Hammond HS, Hammond MS, Guilford ES
- 1089 – Hammond HS, Bollman Bridge ES, Gorman Crossing ES
- 1090 – Hammond HS, Bollman Bridge ES, Gorman Crossing ES
- 1144 – Atholton HS, Swansfield ES, Waterloo ES
- 1173 – Wilde Lake HS, Bryant Woods ES, Running Brook ES
- 1176 – Atholton HS, Talbot Springs ES, Waterloo ES
- 1201 – Long Reach HS, Phelps Luck ES, Atholton ES
I am grateful to the transportation contractors who have worked with us through the weekend to prepare and restore these routes. Thank you specifically to Woodlawn Motor Coach, Tip Top Transportation Inc., MINA Transportation, Y&L Transportation Inc. and Glen G. Whitehead Transportation.
Continued Bus Delays
As I have previously noted, we continue to experience bus delays due to the new compressed schedules and the routing challenges we experienced during the first week. We are working through arrival and delay data to determine the best solution to overcome these delays. Unfortunately, it is still expected that some of our buses will experience delays during the second week of school, particularly for schools with start times of 8:40 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. I assure you that we are working hard on solutions to fix this continued challenge.
Enhanced Communication
We have streamlined communication to transition the management of delay information from the HCPSS Student Transportation Office to the Office of Communications. It is my expectation that later this week, all families who have children who ride a Zum bus will have access to their mobile application and be able to track their child’s bus in real-time. We will provide notification as soon as the app is ready to be used. Additionally, our Office of Communications is implementing solutions this weekend to ensure families receive timely notification when buses are running behind. That information will be shared with families tomorrow.
There has been recent communication posted online by Zum Transportation that generated some community confusion. We have reiterated with them that communication and information regarding bus transportation will only be issued through the HCPSS Office of Communications.
Finally, I know I have said it multiple times now, but it cannot be said enough how sorry I am that too many students, families and staff have endured a difficult first week of school related to transportation challenges. You have my total commitment to ensure this is fixed so the vast majority of the school year will operate the way our students and families deserve.
I will provide another transportation update Monday, Sept. 4 as we continue conversations with transportation contractors to restore routes, and we have more information to share.