School Districts Revise Bus Routes in Response to Community Feedback

Source: Amherst Regional Public Schools

The Amherst, Pelham, and Amherst-Pelham Regional School Districts have released a second round of proposed school bus routes following caregiver feedback, community listening sessions, and ongoing reviews of transportation safety and operations. The updated proposals, released November 3–4, incorporate changes made in response to concerns raised by families regarding bus stop locations, walking distances, road conditions, neighborhood accessibility, and student transportation needs.

The revised routes remain proposals. No new routes have been finalized or implemented.

Families and community members can review the latest proposed routes and submit feedback at www.arps.org/bus-routes. The current feedback period closes Tuesday, November 10, at 6:00 p.m.

“Education is multifaceted, and every part of this work requires us to bring different voices and perspectives to the table. In my view, transportation is one of those areas where all stakeholders need to be involved,” said Superintendent Dr. E. Xiomara Herman (Dr. Xi). “That is why we have created multiple opportunities for families, staff, and community members to review the proposed routes, ask questions, and provide feedback. Each brings knowledge and experience that we need as we work toward safe, reliable transportation for our students.”

Caregiver Feedback Leads to Proposed Route Adjustments

Following the release of the initial transportation proposals, district leadership and transportation staff reviewed responses from the first caregiver survey and identified several areas requiring adjustments. The districts used this feedback to revise proposed routes and stop locations before releasing the second drafts on November 3–4.

Changes reflected in the updated proposals include:

• Stops closer to homes: Additional or revised stops in areas including Flat Hills, High Point, Market Hill, Leverett and East Leverett Roads, Harkness Road, Hulst Road, and West Pomeroy Lane, where caregivers identified concerns involving traffic, sidewalk availability, blind curves, and winter walking conditions.
• Safer pickup locations: Proposed right-side pickups at identified locations along South East Street to address concerns about students crossing the roadway.
• Additional neighborhood stops: Proposed stops within High Point, at the top of the Rolling Green loop, and throughout the Riverglade neighborhood.
• Corrected student information: Updates to address errors on Henry Street and clearer stop descriptions in areas including Concord Way/Linden Ridge and Rolling Green.
• Previously unlisted locations: Additional review of Dennis Drive, Harkness Road, and other areas where families reported difficulty identifying accessible stops.
• Revised route assignments: Adjustments affecting Amherst Woods and the Bay Road/Country Corners neighborhoods to address concerns about route length and neighborhood coverage.

The districts are also continuing to review residential pickup locations for kindergarten students, walking access, busy roads, and student-specific transportation accommodations.

These revisions do not represent final decisions. Families are encouraged to review their child’s updated route assignment and proposed stop to identify any remaining concerns.

District Conducts Community Route Ride-Alongs

As part of its ongoing community engagement efforts, the Amherst, Pelham, and

Amherst-Pelham Regional School Districts conducted four transportation route ride-alongs on November 4 and 5. The routes selected for these dry runs were those that received the highest volume of caregiver concerns during the initial transportation survey.

Before conducting the ride-alongs, district transportation officials reviewed responses from the initial survey and used caregiver feedback to make adjustments to the proposed routes, including changes to stop locations, route assignments, and neighborhood coverage.

During the ride-alongs, participating caregivers and community members traveled the proposed routes alongside Dr. Xi and members of the district’s transportation team. These trips allowed participants to experience firsthand the routes their children would travel, including proposed bus stops, road conditions, travel distances, and the time required to complete each route.

Caregivers were able to provide real-time feedback throughout the dry runs, identifying concerns, asking questions, and discussing potential adjustments directly with district leadership.

The four routes selected for review were:

• Yellow Line, Amherst 3
• Green Line, Amherst 8
• Red Line, Amherst 9
• Crocodile Line, Amherst 10

Feedback gathered during the ride-alongs will be considered alongside additional survey responses, listening sessions, and direct caregiver communications as the districts continue refining the proposed transportation routes.

Community Outreach Extends Beyond District Communications

To increase awareness of the proposed transportation changes and encourage participation, the districts have distributed printed “We Need Your Feedback” flyers throughout the Amherst community. The flyers direct families and community members to www.arps.org/bus-routes, where they can review the proposed routes and provide feedback.

The outreach is intended to reach families and community members through multiple channels, including those who may not regularly access district electronic communications.

Balancing Transportation Reliability and Individual Family Needs

The proposed transportation changes are part of the districts’ efforts to address ongoing concerns about late bus arrivals, extended travel times, and transportation reliability.

District transportation officials are reviewing route configurations, stop locations, available buses, driver availability, and road conditions to identify adjustments that can improve arrival and departure consistency.

“I want to thank our families and community members for taking the time to complete surveys, attend listening sessions, and ride the proposed routes with us. I also want to thank our transportation team for reviewing concerns and working through adjustments,” said Dr.XI. “Being out on the routes together gave us an opportunity to see the concerns firsthand and talk through them. Your feedback has already helped shape these revisions, and your continued involvement matters as we work through the next steps.”

At the same time, the districts recognize that transportation changes may create different challenges for individual families, particularly where walking conditions, student age, accessibility, or neighborhood geography affect access to proposed stops.

The review process is intended to consider these circumstances while maintaining student safety and developing routes that can be operated consistently with available transportation resources.

Additional Opportunities for Caregiver Feedback

The districts will continue collecting feedback on the second round of proposed routes through Tuesday, November 10, at 6:00 p.m.

An additional virtual listening session is scheduled for Thursday, November 12, from 5:30–6:30 p.m. This session is accessible through Zoom  at the link provided to caregivers via Parent Square.

Caregivers are encouraged to submit the transportation feedback form even if they have participated in a listening session or ride-along. Written submissions allow district staff to document concerns, review specific locations, and track potential adjustments.

When reviewing the updated routes, families should confirm that their child’s route and stop are correctly listed, verify pickup and drop-off locations, and identify any remaining concerns about walking conditions, crossings, accessibility, or student information.

The districts will continue reviewing feedback and making adjustments before confirming transportation changes.

Current bus routes remain in effect while the review continues.

For the latest proposed routes, transportation updates, and feedback opportunities, visit www.arps.org/bus-routes.