PGCPS clears bus backlog, changes transportation leadership amid delays
PGCPS superintendent discusses ongoing transportation delays in Prince George’s County
Prince George’s County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Shawn Joseph addresses ongoing transportation problems that have led to widespread delays getting students to class as the school year begins.
UPPER MARLBORO, MD. - Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) has replaced its transportation director and cleared a backlog of roughly 10,000 students awaiting bus routes following widespread delays and routing failures during the first week of school.
Keba Baldwin stepped down from his role as director of transportation, district officials announced Sunday.
Systemic glitches and long delays
What we know:
Dr. Mark Fossett, a former chief operating officer for PGCPS, has taken over as acting director to lead a newly established transition team while the school system works to permanently fill key department vacancies, according to a district press release.
The leadership change comes as staff worked through the weekend to resolve an initial queue that left thousands of students without assigned routes.
Prince George’s County school bus troubles persist
It has been a difficult week for many Prince George’s County Public Schools families as they struggle to get children to class amid ongoing transportation problems. Parents are demanding immediate fixes for thousands of students left without reliable bus service.
The opening week was marked by missing buses, extended ride times, system crashes and technical glitches with the district's tracking application that left families without reliable arrival times, according to previous FOX 5 D.C. reporting.
"Now, our responsibility is to stabilize the system, strengthen customer service and address the underlying operational issues that contributed to the challenges we experienced during the opening of school," Superintendent Dr. Shawn Joseph said in a statement.
Updated routes, surge team and town hall planned
What's next:
Drivers will begin navigating updated routes Monday morning, per the release issued Sunday.
District officials noted that a 27-member surge team will remain in place to handle incoming routing requests from new enrollments and address changes, while staff enter a multi-week optimization phase to address long rides and stop errors.
To address ongoing communication gaps, PGCPS is also launching an automated phone tracking system overseen by the district's family advocate office.
Additionally, district leadership will host a telephone town hall for families on Sept. 2 at 6 p.m.
The Source: Information from Prince George’s County Public Schools and previous FOX 5 D.C. reporting.