Video Shows Students Standing Up On School Bus Ride
CASTLE ROCK, Colo. (CBS4) - The Douglas County School District is investigating to find out why video taken on one of their buses show students standing while the bus is in motion.
District policy strictly forbids drivers from moving the bus if students are not in their seats.
The video was captured by a student at Cresthill Middle School in Highlands Ranch whose parent then sent it to CBS4 after they claim the district did not respond to their concerns about safety on board the bus.
One parents had this reaction after watching the video, "I think it's alarming, kinds are standing, if the bus takes off they could get hurt."
"It happens all the time, kids are standing on the bus and the driver yells to sit down but then just keeps driving," said one student.
The school bus had surveillance video recording what happens inside the bus. That video will be part of the internal investigation.
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The school district shared the following statement about this incident:
Safety is the top priority in the Douglas County School District which is why we find the video shared with us very concerning. Students are never allowed to stand in the aisle of a school bus while it is moving. We are investigating this incident and will take appropriate action.
It is important to note that this particular bus has a capacity of 71 students. Our Z-Pass system tracks all students as they board and depart our buses. On September 1, bus route #5 had 37 students on board in the morning and 59 students on board in the afternoon. On September 1, the driver of this bus asked students multiple times to sit down.
If at any time students stand up in the aisle, our drivers are trained to find a safe place to pull over and wait until all students are seated. We are working with all of our bus drivers to ensure that students are not allowed to stand in the aisles and that our buses never pass maximum capacity.
If there is a capacity issue, our drivers contact dispatch and another bus is immediately sent to the stop to pick up the remaining students. It is important to note that while the relief bus is being dispatched, the original bus remains onsite with all of the students until the relief bus arrives. At the beginning of a school year, our routes are adjusted as needed based on the number of riders, as this can fluctuate from previous school years.
Our bus drivers are the first and last point of contact for our students every day and they are dedicated to providing a safe and secure transition to and from school.
Matt Kroschel covers news throughout Colorado working from the CBS4 Mountain Newsroom. Send story ideas to mrkroschel@cbs.com and connect with him on Twitter @Matt_Kroschel.