Update:LCS scraps bus system, returns to last year's routes, ousts transportation director

What was heralded as a “streamlined” transportation system has resulted in a “colossal failure” of the bus routing system on the first day of school for many parents in Leon County, including those with special needs students.

Last week, Leon County Schools unveiled a new bus route system where students will get to and from school based on the name of their bus route rather than their bus number.

The district grappled with a website glitch early in the week that led to a late roll out of routes. Parents complained prompting a Friday afternoon apology from Superintendent Rocky Hanna and a second tearful apology Monday evening at a hastily organized press conference.

Parents' reactions:Leon County Schools' new bus system left some students without a ride. Here's how parents are responding.

But Monday morning got off to a rocky start for some parents and students who were waiting on district transportation that never came.

“It’s an absolute disaster," said parent Jennifer Pearce.

Pearce's son is a sophomore at Lawton Chiles High School and is in exceptional student education. His ride to school, provided by the district, never arrived at their home.

“My son missed his first period class because I have other children that had to get to class and he can’t be left alone," Pearce said.

When Pearce first heard about the changes to transportation late last week, she started calling the district, but could never get her questions answered. The issue goes further than transportation, she added.

More:LCS announces changes to transportation department next school year

“When they get to the school, the school has people waiting on these students to make sure they get to where they need to go," Pearce said.

That didn't happen Monday morning — Pearce drove her daughter to elementary school and then her son to high school. She's paying someone to pick him up from school Monday, she said.

She sent an email to the district Monday calling on School Board members to address the issue and saying LCS has "left their most vulnerable students without assistance or guidance."

More:For students, teachers and principals, Leon County's first day of school is 'electric'

Parent Cher Marlow echoed Pearce's concerns.

Marlow's son was diagnosed with autism when he was 5 years. The 15-year-old now goes to Chiles High School and plays on the football team. But on Monday morning, his bus was nearly an hour late picking him up from his home, and Marlow ended up driving her son to school. She has not yet found out what bus he's scheduled for the afternoon and is relying on a friend to pick him up from school.

“I know it’s all chaotic, but this is ridiculous," Marlow said.

She added that the district doesn't understand how a break in routine upsets an entire household for students in the ESE program.

"His day starts with riding the bus," Marlow said. “He shuts down until he overcomes that little hiccup."

Marlow, who works as an office manager for an engineering firm, ended up driving her son to work and taking detours to help his mood before school.

"ESE, that should be a priority because our kids have to have a certain routine. It helps alleviate problems in our household," she said. “He has anxiety and then he doesn’t want to do things he normally would want to. The whole thing breaks him down."

District spokesman Chris Petley acknowledged that the bulk of transportation concerns have come from parents with children in exceptional student education.

"We have a team steadily working on that," he said of the individualized pick-ups. "We will be working on changing any stops that may be hazardous throughout the week."

But problems continued at many schools into the afternoon. One parent contacted the Democrat after waiting for more than 80 minutes for her child to arrive home on the bus from Gilchrist Elementary School. Apalachee Tapestry Magnet School of the Arts Assistant Principal Nikki Bradley sent out an email blast to parents alerting them that buses had not arrived at the school yet.

"Thank you for your patience!!!" she wrote.

LCS posted a video Friday before the start of school Monday of superintendent Rocky Hanna apologizing for the confusion.

"I just want to take a moment and offer my sincere apology for the anxiety that's been caused to some of our families for the recent changes in transportation," Hanna said. "I can assure you that we are working as hard as we possibly can to get them resolved."

A second apology came Monday evening after a School Board agenda review. Hanna took the podium at a press conference surrounded by school board members.

As he choked back tears, he told a Facebook Live audience that the buck stopped with him, and the district would get it right.

“I beg you to have patience with us.”

The district said more stops are being added throughout the first week of school and asked that parents call 488-2636 with issues.

Click here to go to the LCS transportation page.

Have a comment? Email CD Davidson-Hiers at CDavidsonH@tallahassee.com and follow her on Twitter @DavidsonHiers.