Parents and school administrators met at Oxon Hill High School on Thursday, August 15, to learn how Prince George’s County Public Schools’ new bus routes will improve transportation reliability.

The changes are an attempt to address major problems with school bus transportation that have existed in the district for years. In the past, students have reported long waits at bus stops and some buses have not shown up at all.

“In the past, I’ve had classes canceled because the bus was late or didn’t come at all,” said Cassandra Griffin, mother of a Prince George’s County Public Schools student.

At the meeting, parents spoke about their experiences with unreliable service and long commutes to school. One parent brought up the fact that there are “no sidewalks.”

The school administration is working to make bus routes more efficient by combining routes and adjusting pedestrian zones.

“So we’re asking students to walk a little farther, but we’re also taking precautions with our elementary students,” said Keba Baldwin, PGCPS transportation director. “If there are ways to shorten their walking distance, we’ll do that where appropriate.”

Due to the changed bus routes, school administrations have postponed the start times of classes for some schools. The start times differ by about 15 minutes.

Parents are asked to log in to the ParentVue online information portal, activate the StopFinder school bus finder app, and set up alerts to be notified when the bus picks up and drops off their child.

During this transition period, the authorities ask parents to be patient and understanding.

For more information about the transportation changes and how they may impact your child’s first day of school, visit the Prince George’s County Public Schools website.