Kansas City Public Schools looks for ways to improve school bus service

There are just a few weeks before the start of a new school year and the Kansas City Public Schools District listening to new ideas for the future of school transportation.

Chanel Cooper remembers the school bus problems she dealt with last year.

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"So last year there were a lot of issues with a shortage of drivers and things like that," Cooper said. "And it caused issues with parents not getting notifications in a timely manner. They're already at work getting a notification, 'Oh the bus is not going to come."'

The unpredictability was the worst part for

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, another KCPS parent, who had to get creative to get her family to school.

"As a parent, you have to sacrifice," Watson said. “My schedule always had to be tailored around the kids. So for me, many, many opportunities lost because I had to make the sacrifice for them.”

Maybe this year she won't have to worry about those missed opportunities.

The district is using a new school bus company, Zum Services Inc.

The company said they they pride themselves on technology like an app that tracks the locations of school buses so there's no more waiting and wondering.

"It feels very good to know that they're acknowledging that there is an issue and they are trying to collaborate to come up with the best solution," Cooper said.

But Kansas City Public Schools isn't alone with its eyes on the big yellow prize.

The district was part of a summit Thursday night put on by School Smart KC and included the Kansas City Streetcar Authority and RideKC.

The purpose was to share ideas for a multi-modal solution.

"I think when you bring a table of individuals together who are working on the same complexity that you get even more creative responses," said Angelique Nedved, president and CEO of School Smart KC.

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Creative solutions, Nedved said, include kids who are old enough can choose to ride city buses.

That option, and others, sound good to Watson.

"Like a ride share system," Watson said. "People don't have that now."

That system is not available because the school district can't pay for it with normal transportation funds.

Nedved said there are more options to solve transportation problems and she hopes Thursday's gathering began a process for solutions.

"A use that's more expanded and open and not just defined by the yellow bus that we all know," she said.

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