ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Public School District (SLPS) has 19 different vendors who are responsible for taking students to and from school. But some canceled for the first week, causing transportation issues.
Pat Ricee is one of many district parents sending students off to district schools on a yellow bus. Her middle schooler is one of 6,400 students riding the buses this year.
"Everybody is worried about their kids," Ricee said. "I was very nervous because I thought the bus wasn't going to come".
Thankfully her daughter's bus did come on the first day of school, and only two minutes late. Ricee said last year there were times the bus didn't show up at all. And her family was left to borrow a friend's car.
All of it comes after Missouri Central Bus Company terminated its contract with the district last school year for various issues.
"We rebuilt an entire transportation system in about 5 months, and today is the day we get to start learning as far as how it works," district spokesperson George Sells said.
But over the weekend, three of the district's bus contractors told the district they wouldn't have enough school bus drivers to drive students affecting two dozen schools and thousands of students on the first week of school.
The district said 6,200 students will be using private van services, cabs, and personal cars, plus 1,446 of them will be using Metro Transit to ride the bus or Metro Link.
Students using buses will be using the same routes the general public is using nd are advised to use the metro transit app to track their bus.
It's recommended they arrive five minutes before the departure time and stand or wave to the bus as it approaches.
Metro Transit says the busiest routes will be along Grand, Kingshighway, Gravois-Lindell and Dr. Martin Luther King.
"Fewer than 200 SLPS high school students took MetroBus to and from school yesterday (8-19-24). We expect to see more students taking MetroBus today and anticipate this number will increase and vary from day to day, week to week. One service adjustment will be implemented today (8-20-24). We will add an additional MetroBus on the #95 Kingshighway route to prevent passenger overcrowding when school lets out at this afternoon at Gateway High School," Charles Stewart, Chief Operating Officer, Metro Transit said.
The transportation issue something the Sumner High School Alumni Association wants the district to solve quickly.
5 On Your Side spoke to the organization Monday morning as they greeted and welcomed students to school with smiles and goodie bags, letting them know they have someone in their corner.
"I'm just hoping that they get this problem resolved because we want our students here! And if they cannot come [to school], they cannot be educated," Garrett said.
Garrett grew up riding the city bus to school but says times have changed.
And Ricee said no matter if it's a yellow bus or a Metro Transit bus, if the problems persist like last year, some parents will be left to do one thing with their children.
"If I have to walk, I'll walk and I ain't got no choice, I'm a parent so that's what I'll do," Ricee said.
Some parents told 5 On Your Side they are concerned about safety with their children riding Metro Transit. A spokesperson says they have security on standby and even parent volunteers at Metro bus stops and yellow bus stops. If your student has transportation safety concerns, they can call Metro Transit's security at 314-289-6873.