More Customer No-Service

the public school transportation system

Over the last month or so, we've lost much faith in our public school's transportation system. This morning things came to a head, and I burned with anger once more:

At the beginning of the year we were told what time to expect our daughter's morning and afternoon buses. Then, within the last month, the morning and afternoon times have been pushed back further and further. A couple weeks ago, I had called the transportation office and was told that we should call them if the bus was over ten minutes late from what her pickup/dropoff time was. That time was, in fact, much later than what we were told at the beginning of the school year.

I was quite understanding when told that the reason Keisha's bus was late was because some parents were either not prepared with their kids to leave in the morning or were not at home when the kids were being dropped off in the afternoon. No problem, I thought. As long as we know what time we need to have our daughter ready in the morning and what time to expect her when we come home.

We had even begun accomodating the fact that since our daughter was sometimes late for school, she'd miss having breakfast with the other kids at 9:15. So we'd started giving her something to eat before her bus came. Again, no problem. As long as we know what time we need to have our daughter ready in the morning and what time to expect her when we come home.

This morning I received a call from home. It was mom. It was already 9:20 and Keisha's bus had still not come. Mom had a very important doctor's appointment at 10 AM. She had called the transportation office and was rebuffed by the "Customer No-Service Representative". So I called. But, while I was talking, this woman began interrupting me. I told her to stop doing that, and, finally asked for the name of her supervisor. She did me one better and proceeded to connect me.

After almost 50 rings, I hung up and searched online for Superintendent Percy Mack's phone number. The secretary, after hearing my complaint, transferred me to the head of Transportation, a Mr. Sullivan's office. I voiced my complaint again to his secretary, who then asked for my phone number and promised that she would forward this on to Mr. Sullivan and the transportation person in charge of my daughters bussing. I then told her that I expected a return phone call later today, and we hung up.

Now if I don't hear back after 1 PM, guess who's gonna follow up?