Photo showing kids sitting in the aisle on Lake Stevens bus draws concerns

LAKE STEVENS, Wash. — A photo of the inside of a Lake Stevens School District bus has garnered a lot of attention online. A Cavelero Mid High Student shared a photo with their parent of a jam-packed bus, with kids sitting in the aisle as they were heading home.

“What happens if an accident happens? What’s going to happen to the kids in the aisles? What’s going to happen?” Chase Buckland, whose kid took the photo, said.

Buckland shared the photo on Facebook through a community group, explaining his concerns about students’ safety and whether the school district will address the problem.

“I don’t think it’s ok to risk hurting children in the worst-case scenario if something were to happen,” Buckland said.

Not only did a lot of parents see the post, but the school district did as well. Buckland said he got a text about his kid’s bus route the day after the post. A spokesperson with the school district sent KIRO 7 this statement, acknowledging that the FB post is how they were made aware of the overcrowding and that they have since added two buses to the routes to ease overcrowding:

“The safety and well-being of our students is always our highest priority, and we understand the concern this situation has caused. During the first few days of school, we work diligently to balance bus routes and loads, and we are aware of the overcrowding on some buses. This year, we are experiencing higher-than-usual bus ridership, and our team is actively addressing this. Drivers have been instructed to radio dispatch if they reach capacity, and we have additional buses stationed at Cavelero Mid High School and Lake Stevens High School to provide a second bus run, as needed, to ensure all students are transported safely. We truly appreciate the patience of our students and families as we work through this. Families are encouraged to contact our Transportation Department with any questions or concerns at 425-335-1508, or our school district office at 425-335-1500.”

Buckland tells KIRO 7 he is happy to see the district respond so quickly to the issue to keep students safe.

“I’m not trying to blame anybody. I just want to get the issue resolved and get fixed in a timely manner,” said Buckland.

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