PGCPS superintendent apologizes, outlines fixes after widespread bus delays and problems
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.
BETHESDA, Md. - A Thursday night Prince George’s County school board meeting highlighted the bus delays and cancellations disrupting the first week back to school, and on Friday, Superintendent Dr. Shawn Joseph joined FOX 5 to address the transportation problems that have caused widespread delays getting students to class as the year begins.
What we know:
Joseph said the district fell short of its "excellence everywhere" standard during the first week of school. Bus drivers reported routing and timing failures, including second routes scheduled before first routes were completed. Joseph said communication and visibility issues left families without timely information.
"I make no excuses. We should have been ready on day one, and we were not," he told FOX 5’s Steve Chenevey.
Prince George’s County Schools Superintendent Dr. Shawn Joseph
Joseph said problems with the district’s new routing app were compounded by leadership and management challenges. He called for a full operations audit across transportation, finance, technology and customer service.
"My goal is to make sure we stabilize quickly, and we communicate because this week was not acceptable," he said.
Joseph said budget cuts reduced resources, including a $10 million reduction in transportation. He said the backlog of student routing is expected to be cleared by Saturday, with full stabilization taking two to three weeks. He apologized to families and said regaining trust is his responsibility.
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.
During Thursday’s meeting, Joseph said the rollout of the district’s new bus‑routing system deserved a grade of "F." Parents described long waits for buses and a lack of information, while bus drivers said they were being asked to manage issues they could not fix on their own.
Ten thousand students did not have assigned bus routes on the first day of school, leading to significant delays. The district’s new Chipmunk routing app crashed, adding to the problems.
The transportation issues affected about 10,000 of the district’s 85,000 bus riders. Joseph said the transportation department is adding four routing technicians, an additional scheduler and a routing supervisor. He also outlined plans to improve training and communication with families.
Joseph said staff will work around the clock to complete the backlog and assign students to routes by Saturday, then shift focus to improving ride times.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the Prince George’s County Public Schools and previous FOX 5 reporting.