PGCPS buses arrived on time 79.5% of the time this fall, report finds, as parents and drivers press the board

By Everett Calloway

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. — Prince George’s County Public Schools buses arrived on time 79.5% of the time in August and September, according to an October transportation report for the district by the consulting firm 4MATIV. Parents and bus drivers told the Board of Education on Thursday that late and missed buses have continued well into the school year.

The figure is 4.3 percentage points lower than in the same period last year and 1.1 points below June 2026, WUSA9 reported, citing the report.

Drivers out, routes uncovered

The report tied much of the trouble to staffing. Daily driver absenteeism ranged from 11.9% to 20%, according to WUSA9’s account. On Oct. 9, 207 drivers were absent and only 74.8% of routes were covered. As of Oct. 6, the district had 798 open transportation tickets, and its call center had four vacancies, though the report found response times were improving.

Drivers who demonstrated outside the meeting said they are being asked to cover extra routes without extra pay. They also told the board that the district cut the number of staggered bell times from 16 last year to three this year, and they blamed that change for adding to the delays, WUSA9 reported. One parent told the board her child’s bus had repeatedly arrived 40 minutes late or not at all, and that he had been dropped off before school staff were there to supervise. Another parent said she had seen improvements.

A rough opening

The problems date to the first day of school. In a September question-and-answer post, the district said about 10,000 students needed transportation assignments when school opened. It said it later found more problems, including students with only a morning or afternoon route, and other routing errors. The district acknowledged that the volume of complaints that first week “exceeded our ability to respond effectively.”

The district’s post said the magnitude of the problem “was not elevated to senior leadership early enough” and that Superintendent Shawn Joseph “has taken responsibility for that organizational failure.” Mark Fossett is serving as acting director of transportation after what the district called a leadership transition in the department. The district said it is reviewing its routing practices and its Chipmunk and BusPlanner software, but it would be “premature to attribute the breakdown to one factor.”

Joseph and Chief Operating Officer Charoscar Coleman briefed the County Council on transportation on Oct. 6. WUSA9 reported that Joseph has been visiting bus lots to hear from drivers and planned his fourth such visit Friday.

Families with an unresolved problem are directed to check ParentVUE for their child’s assignment and to file a ticket through bushelp@pgcps.org. The district says families should get an acknowledgment within 24 hours, though not necessarily a fix.

The Inquisitor asked PGCPS, the Board of Education, 4MATIV, the union local representing district bus drivers, County Executive Aisha Braveboy’s office and the County Council’s education committee about the report and the district’s plans. None had immediately responded. This story will be updated with any responses.

Photo: A Prince George’s County Public Schools bus. Truco / Wikimedia Commons, public domain.