GCS to offer hub pickup for Questar morning students

GREENVILLE―Greenville High School students enrolled Questar’s morning program in Hudson will not be receiving door-to-door pickup despite complaints from some parents. But the district has proposed a solution: hub pickup sites.

The problem stems from a shortage of bus drivers and families were notified in mid-August that early morning pickup at a student’s home will not be offered this fall as it has traditionally been.

Instead, parents would be responsible for providing transportation to Greenville High School by 7:15 a.m. so their students could catch the bus to the Donald R. Kline Technical School in Hudson.

For many families, getting their students to the high school every morning is not “a realistic or sustainable solution,” stated Louise Goetz, who started an online petition that garnered 289 signatures.

“This creates unnecessary stress for parents and can interfere with students’ ability to consistently and reliably access their education,” noted Goetz.

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) requires that the district offer transportation for these students, but only back and forth between the school and Questar.

In an updated letter to parents, Superintendent Rachel S. Anderson acknowledged the concerns.

“We want you to know that we have listened carefully and have been working to find the best ways to meet student needs,” Anderson said.

“We truly empathize with the challenges this has caused,” she added.

The district has now developed two routes to transport Questar Hudson, Tech Valley, HVCC, and New Visions students to the high school. Tech Valley, HVCC and New Visions students were not previously impacted by the busing change as they are smaller in number and their pickup time was already on an earlier schedule.

“Parents and guardians can transport their students to one of the [eight] hubs, where they will board a school-provided bus to Greenville High School. We have designed the routes to ensure there is a hub within approximately three miles of each student’s home,” Anderson said.

“These times are subject to adjustment based on ridership once the school year begins,” she added.

Under the new plan, students will arrive at the high school around 6:30 a.m. and will still board a bus to Questar’s Hudson site at 7:15 a.m. Supervision will be provided while they wait.

“We offer this solution in good faith and with empathy for our students and families. We recognize that this is not a perfect fix, but we hope it provides some relief and demonstrates our commitment to supporting your child's education and your family’s well-being,” said Anderson.

Questar III’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs at the Hudson campus range from automotive technology to welding and culinary arts for juniors and seniors.

GCS Communications Specialist Sierra Pizzola said last week that 29 students attend Questar programs in Hudson―seven of whom initially told the district they would self-transport to high school, while the rest indicated a need for transportation.

The decision to cut door-to-door bus service arose due to a scarcity of bus drivers that is impacting schools across the country. Going into the new school year, GCS is already short three drivers, Pizzola pointed out.

“Our transportation supervisor, dispatcher, and mechanic are all going out on routes to cover,” Pizzola said.

“Questar routes are contractually considered an ‘extra-run.’ Therefore, contractually, we cannot assign a driver to the run―they have to sign up for it,” Pizzola explained.

In the past five years, GCS has condensed eight routes and last year eliminated late bus runs.