Rockwood Bus Driver Requests Changes
How much are tight, overcrowded bus areas contributing to accidents on Rockwood School District parking lots?
Sandra Christeson called herself "an old bus driver" at the Jan. 19 Rockwood School District board of education meeting, yet her energy level and passion for the district displayed a young spirit. This experienced school bus driver, who referenced 44 years of driving, stepped up to the podium to request some changes be considered while district representatives and patrons are discussing needs and improvements to physical Rockwood structures due to the proposed bond measure, called Proposition R.
Christeson said she found her dream home in Wildwood in 1971, and has been driving buses in the Rockwood area ever since. Based on her years of manuevering around Rockwood properties, she said there are frequent bottleneck issues with many of the school's parking lots.
Cramped parking lot bus areas contributed to a minor accident she recently had in the Eureka High School parking lot, she said. Buses transporting early childhood and activity students were all in the same area at the same time, which she said caused her inability to move her bus without "bumping a car."
She asked board directors if they've ever been on the Lafayette High School parking lot at dismissal time. She said there are no really safe places to operate for the three activity buses and the five-plus special buses parked there.
"In trying to satisfy coaches, we move to get out, but there isn’t proper parking allowances. At Marquette, we cannot bend buses around the corner. It's the same at Lafayette," she said.
Christeson recommended changing school dismissal times to have room for buses to park for activities. "When other school bus drivers bring teams over, it’s a mess," she said.
She also suggested vehicles found in the "no parking" designated slots actually be ticketed, because the space they occupy is often needed for the buses to ease around the lot.
She said early out, also called early dismissal, days at Crestview Middle School in Ellisville are "bad and scary" because parents and students cross the parking lot at the same time buses to get to the other school building. Again, she suggested different dismissal times for bus routes and parent drivers.
"If you could put signs on sidewalks for buses-only parking, that also would help," she said.
In This article
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Rockwood School District -- Administrative Center
111 E North St, Eureka, MO -
Wildwood City Hall
183 Plaza Dr, Wildwood, MO -
Eureka High School
4525 Highway 109, Eureka, MO -
Lafayette High School
17050 Clayton Rd, Ballwin, MO (Actually located in Wildwood but uses a zip code stemming from Ballwin Post Office) -
Sam boettge
7:32 am on Saturday, February 4, 2012
I hope Rockwood listens to this bus driver and maybe one of them should try being in those parking lots at dismissal time. I know picking a student up at eureka high school was extremely stressful!!! And I was just in a car, I don't know how buses do it. I think there needs to be an "in house" ticket system. If a student is seen breaking a driving rule in the parking lot or pulling out of the parking lot the get a ticket and cannot drive again until that ticket is paid. When so many tickets are accumulated they would lose their driving PRIVILEGE! This would aleviate and congestion very quickly, would teach the need for driving safely in congested areas and they could use that money to help lower the parking cost for students. $180 a year to park is a little ridiculous for a teen to pay, and yes my daughter does pay for it with her own money.
Sharon Yancey
8:10 am on Saturday, February 4, 2012
I love Rockwood School District and rarely have a complaint, however, the parking lot and dismissal procedure leaves a lot to be desired at Eureka High School. Yesterday, I needed to pick up my children. When I arrived, the parking lot was full of cars; I literally sat in the 'new' parking area on the north side for 20+ minutes without moving an inch. When the line of cars began to move, the parking lot was nearly empty. It was extremely frustrating. While I am on the subject, I also have an extreme concern for the most southern exit/entrance. At the end of the day, cars double up to exit which does not allow for cars to enter. I have attempted to enter there and was not able to due to the cars leaving and had to loop around to get back onto the road heading north. Cars exit there and make a left without a light. Frequently, they pull out into oncoming cars and is a serious accident waiting to happen. I wonder if the thought has ever been made to allow separate dismissal times. An example might be that students driving are dismissed at different times then buses. Maybe the south exit is to be used for cars heading southbound and the north exit for northbound cars only. I don't have the answers but am very concerned about the situation and the safety of all.
Diane Engle
2:25 pm on Saturday, February 4, 2012
I agree with both comments above. Dismissal time at EHS is a 'free for all' - seems like there is an accident on 109 almost weekly (last Wednesday, 4+ cars involved on a nice, sunny day!). EHS administration is in the parking lot to make sure the busses get out; but, turn a blind eye to the erratic behavior of the student drivers! I have observed EHS administration watch 2 lanes of exit traffic on the south drive at dismissal. They just shook their heads and walked toward the school! I have also thought a 'ticketing system' would help to reduce the parking lot issues; but, parents also need to instruct their students in safe driving skills (tailgating, speeding, and 'showing off' especially!).
Brandon Fry - Local Volunteer
8:22 am on Sunday, February 5, 2012
My son attended LaSalle Springs and I had no idea how to plan pick up and drop off in the parking area. I must have missed that instruction, I agree that some signs would help and I would add having a Police Officer to direct the parking lot.
LaSalle also has a police officer who directs the traffic, and he does a great job keeping the cars in proper areas. I must say, for as many kids as they have to attend this school, it is very orderly.