Prince George’s County school officials work to fix bus system as issues persist

GREENBELT, Md. - Prince George’s County Public school (PGCPS) leaders confirmed that all students have now been assigned to buses after transportation issues plagued the start of the school year. However, widespread issues regarding incorrect routes and excessively long ride times remain.

Addressing ongoing issues

What we know:

The district's initial priority was clearing its backlog of roughly 10,000 students who were left without assigned bus routes—a task PGCPS says is now complete. Now, officials are transitioning into a second phase focused on correcting faulty routes, reducing travel times, and taking a broader look at how the transportation department operates.

To address parent concerns directly, PGCPS held a telephone town hall Wednesday night.

"We’re basically a week in, and so the fix isn’t going to be immediate," said Denise Douglas, PGCPS Associate Superintendent of Communications. "But I think what parents and the community can really hang on to is the fact that there’s more intentional focus on it, and there are steps that are being taken to make a difference this time around."

To help resolve ongoing issues, the district created a designated email address—Bushelp@pgcps.org—where anyone experiencing a problem can send a message and receive an acknowledgment within 24 hours.

PGCPS is attempting to resolve the remaining route and timing issues by adding staffing, appointing a new acting transportation director, and bringing in a transition team to review operations.

The Maryland State Department of Education also directed the district to audit its Chipmunk transportation system, which is currently operational but under review.

The overhaul comes amid internal personnel troubles. Evidence of bullying, discrimination, and harassment was uncovered within the transportation department during an internal investigation, though PGCPS has not stated whether those workplace issues contributed to the transportation breakdown.

Parents speak out

What they're saying:

For frustrated parents, Wednesday's town hall provided an opportunity to hear what has been addressed and what work remains to avoid another chaotic start in the future.

"This was a complete failure, it should’ve been done months ago," said parent Carrie Weletz. "It is not fair to put young children on a bus for four hours a day through dinner time, through time that they’re supposed to be resting, doing their homework. It doesn’t look like anyone human is setting their eyes on these routes."

Other parents expressed concerns regarding the long-term oversight of the system.

"The bigger issue to me is not just having a bus route," said parent Carolyn Lemm Espinoza. "There are issues with accountability within the transportation department, and I don’t want to end up in a state where we’re in the same predicament next year."

School officials note that the next phase of route adjustments could take several weeks. Meanwhile, students who registered after the district’s July 31 deadline are still awaiting assigned bus routes.