Frustrated parents say Hillsborough school districts new busing alternative not getting kids to school on time
TAMPA, Fla. - Parents at Hillsborough County schools say the district’s new busing alternative is not getting their kids to school on time.
On some days, parents say drivers are more than two hours late picking them up and sometimes aren’t able to give them a ride home. The drivers work for the third-party company, Ever Driven, contracted out by the district.
The service is similar to Uber and Lyft, but for students. They give kids rides to school in certain circumstances like those who live far away or who may have disabilities or who go to magnet schools like Progress Village Middle Magnet School. Parents there say they're worried this missed school is starting to add up.
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Parent Blake Mallard and grandmother Sue Marchant are frustrated.
"It causes a lot of anxiety for her, because she's missing these classes and instructional time," Marchant said.
Both have sixth graders at Progress Village Middle Magnet School and live about 30 minutes away, but as part of the enrollment ,the district guarantee's transportation.
"There's a social aspect for her to be with her friends and to be there on time, but instead, she's kind of thrown off schedule. We all are," Mallard said.
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Parent Asia Smith, whose son is also a 6th grader at Progress Village, is in the same boat.
"I don't like him not being able to participate in his first period activities," Smith said.
First semester, all three students were picked up by Hillsborough County buses, but a district spokesperson told FOX 13 that system was not fiscally responsible and impacted other bus riders across the county. So beginning in January, the district changed course and started using Ever Driven to pick up certain students at Progress Village.
"They were supposed to pick her up at 7, but they picked her up at 9," Marchant said.
That was Wednesday after Marchant said their usual driver called out sick something all three parents said has happened a few times. Screenshots from the app show that Marchant's granddaughter didn't get dropped off until 9:52, which is more than an hour after their 8:40 start time.
All three parents said on average, their kids are late getting to school once or twice a week sometimes up to an hour late.
"It's incredibly frustrating. You don't know as a parent when your day is actually going to begin. You know, I have a job. I have to work. My wife has to work. It's not always something we can just drop everything we're doing and take her to school," Mallard said.
Wednesday FOX 13 reached out to Ever Driven and Hillsborough County schools about the concerns from parents.
"Our priority is ensuring students have safe, reliable transportation to school," a spokesperson for Ever Driven wrote in a statement sent to FOX 13. "We have a long history of successfully serving districts, students and families in the state of Florida and while we can’t publicly discuss specific students and families, we are reviewing all trips and ensure each meet our high standards."
A spokesperson for Hillsborough County schools told FOX 13 the majority of parents utilizing Ever Driven appreciate the service and haven't had any complaints.
"Students who are in a Magnet program are typically picked up by a school bus, driven to a magnet transfer ramp, and then moved to a second bus to get to their school," a district spokesperson said in a statement emailed to FOX 13 late Thursday. "However, for some magnet students the district was still utilizing a system last semester that was not fiscally responsible and impacted other bus riders across the county. This semester, some students are being picked up by Everdriven and provided a direct route to school, which is a benefit to many families. Just like the district, which is working through challenges including a bus driver shortage and drivers calling out sick, Everdriven is also seeing those same issues. However, the company has been very responsive to resolve issues, bringing in sub drivers or replacing drivers who repeatedly call out sick."