Goodbye yellow school bus, hello BATA
The first week of school is in the books and Suttons Bay Public Schools is starting to see how well its busing partnership with the Bay Area Transportation Authority is working.
Suttons Bay Public Schools discontinued its busing operations in an effort to save about a half of a million dollars. Instead students have the option to take public transportation, through BATA, to school. Tickets are purchased at a student rate by Suttons Bay Public School. School officials say the first week went smoothly, but like any new program there are wrinkles to iron out.
Suttons Bay Public Schools Superintendent, Michael Murray says, “We had a couple of kids who didn't get off at the right stops because little kids may not recognize their house from the road."
Some parents are also worried about stranger danger. Public transportation means anyone can ride the bus, but officials say they’re taking proper measures to ensure student safety.
BATA Executive Director, Tom Menzel says, “We added 6 cameras to each bus. Now we have a good view of the bus inside and out. We've overdone it just to make sure we don't have problems.”
Special Education, athletic, and field trip busing will still be provided through the district.
