District 68, 99 Bus Issues Continue for Second Day

District 99 sent another apology for its bus service Thursday after issues continued with delays and missed pick-ups. 

"We are extremely disappointed that the problems many experienced yesterday were not rectified today, and we again apologize to all of the students and families who have been affected," the district said in an e-mail.

The district sent a similar e-mail Wednesday night apologizing for "poor bus service."

Wednesday's e-mail went on to say the district had spoken with the vice president of operations with Westway, who assured district officials poor service would not be repeated Thursday.

Jill Browning, communications director for the district, had attributed the issues to the confusion of the half-day schedule, in which upperclassmen went to school in the morning and freshmen came in the afternoon.

Thursday was the district's first full day of school.

District 68 also notified parents Thursday of continued busing issues with an automated phone call.

It's the first week the districts have worked with Westway Coach.

this year and sign with a single company as a more efficient, cost-saving venture. The decision will save District 68 $300,000 a year, according to Kevin Wegner, assistant superintendent of business for .

Parents reported on Woodridge Patch's Facebook page that bus service was restored on Thursday.

Taunny Picha Gilbert said the bus did show up and took her son to school. "Very happy they figured it out so quickly," she wrote.

However, continued issues were reported on Darien Patch's Facebook page.

Cathy Fischer said the bus never came for her children, who were at the bus stop at 6:55 a.m. to be picked up at 7:05 a.m. They were still waiting at 8 a.m. and Westway didn't answer its phone. 

She said the bus didn't come for the students on Wednesday, either.

The students finally had to get a ride to school.

"Not sure how long other kids in the neighborhood waited at their stops, as never saw a bus here for them, period," she said. "If our kids parents were all at work this morning, not sure how, when or if the kids would even have made it to school the last two days."