Hudson Valley Mom Exposes School Bus Incidents: T-Boned Cars, Drove Wrong Way, More
A Hudson Valley parent is going public with a series of alarming incidents involving her children's school bus.
The growing list of frightening claims includes T-boning cars, jumping curbs, and driving the wrong way down streets.
A Florida, NY Parent Says Her Kids' School Bus Has Hit Cars, Jumped Curbs, And Got Lost In Another Town
The parent, who contacted Hudson Valley Post directly and shared a formal letter she sent to the district, describes a pattern of dangerous incidents she says has continued since the district began using its current transportation provider.
She says her repeated complaints to the district have gone unanswered, and the same bus company remains in operation.
Her letter details the following:
- A bus taking out a light post in the elementary school parking lot,
- A driver going the wrong way down a one-way street under active construction with multiple warning signs posted, missed bus pickups, buses attempting to go around parents in pickup lines and sideswiping multiple cars,
- A bus T-boning another vehicle in town, a driver getting lost and ending up in an entirely different town,
- A bus jumping a curb and running over a zero-turn mower before continuing on its route without reporting the incident or checking on the children aboard.
The parent says she only found out about the last incident because her child went to the school nurse with friends who were injured in the incident.
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"I do not believe families should have to wait for a child to be seriously injured before meaningful action is taken," the parent wrote in her formal letter to the district. "The pattern of incidents is putting children at risk and needs to be addressed promptly."
She is asking the district to conduct a full review of every incident involving the bus company, examine the driver's training and supervision, and explain what immediate steps are being taken to keep students safe while that review is underway.
She is also asking the district to consider removing the company as its transportation provider entirely.
What makes this especially frustrating for the parent is that this is not the first time she has raised these concerns. She says she has contacted the school repeatedly over multiple incidents and has requested written responses from the district that have never come.
"My children have been injured in at least one of these incidents, and yet we remain with the same company," she wrote.
Florida Central School District Responds To Hudson Valley Post
Superintendent Lisamarie Spindler responded to Hudson Valley Post's request for comment with a written statement that confirmed the district is aware of the problems, has been actively monitoring the situation, and has already taken action against specific drivers.
"In instances where driver performance has not met our standards, the district has formally addressed it in accordance with our district policies and procedures, which have, at times, resulted in the removal of the driver," Spindler wrote. "We have put the bus company on notice regarding our safety expectations."
Spindler adds the contract with the bus company runs through the 2027–2028 school year.
"Changing transportation providers mid-contract is not an instantaneous or simple fix; we utilize remedies set forth in the current contract and comply with bidding laws," Spindler told Hudson Valley Post. "We are undertaking the most responsible and effective path in holding the current contractor strictly accountable to their contract and addressing concerns as they arise."
