Shocking Safety Concerns: Family Fears for Kids at Dangerous Bus Stop Near Heavy Truck Traffic!
A family in the Schalmont Central School District is deeply concerned about the safety of their local bus stop due to heavy truck traffic nearby.
CBS 6 spoke with the residents, who fear for the four children who use the stop every day and worry that the nearby trucks pose a significant risk.
The bus stop in question is located at the corner of Frank Street and Duanesburg Road. After receiving a call from a resident expressing their anxieties, we visited the location to observe the conditions firsthand.
The resident explained that trucks frequently travel along Duanesburg Road, heading to nearby warehouses and industrial areas.
They believe that the constant flow of large vehicles creates a dangerous environment for the children waiting for the bus.
Frank Street is a dead-end road, offering limited space for vehicles to maneuver. The bus stop is situated at the end of this street. Although the school district has placed a sign slightly away from Duanesburg Road to indicate where students should stand for pick-up and drop-off, the family feels that this measure is insufficient.
They worry that the proximity to the busy road, combined with the presence of heavy trucks, increases the likelihood of an accident.
We brought these concerns to Dr. Thomas Reardon, the superintendent of the Schalmont Central School District. He informed us that the district has already taken steps to address the issue.
“We actually, at that particular stop, have done site visits where staff members were in unmarked cars to make sure we observed a typical day,” Dr. Reardon said. “We’ve not seen anything that really warranted any sort of additional concern.”
Dr. Reardon explained that the district reviewed video footage from the bus stop arm cameras covering both the current and previous years.
“Through the video footage we’ve reviewed—we did this over the summer—we did not see anything that was putting students at risk or in any sort of danger at all,” he added.
The bus stop has been in the same location for several years, even before Dr. Reardon became superintendent.
He emphasized that the district takes safety seriously and is always willing to reevaluate if new information arises. “Should we come across any data indicating a safety issue at the bus stop in the future, we’ll certainly look at ways to improve the situation,” he assured.
Despite these reassurances, the family remains uneasy. They argue that the district’s observations may not capture every potential hazard, especially since traffic conditions can vary from day to day.
They suggest that relocating the bus stop to a safer location, perhaps further into Frank Street or to an area with less traffic, could mitigate the risks.
Other parents in the neighborhood share similar concerns. Some have noticed that drivers occasionally ignore the school bus’s stop signs and flashing lights, posing an additional threat to the children’s safety.
They feel that more proactive measures should be taken to ensure that all motorists adhere to traffic laws, especially in school zones.
The superintendent encourages any concerned parents or community members to contact the district directly. “We are always open to hearing from our community,” Dr. Reardon said. Safety is our top priority.
We will certainly investigate anything we can do to make our students safer.
In the meantime, the district plans to continue monitoring the situation closely. They will keep reviewing video footage from the bus cameras and may conduct additional site visits to observe traffic patterns around the bus stop.
The hope is that by staying vigilant, they can prevent any incidents and maintain a safe environment for all students.
This situation highlights the broader challenges that many school districts face when planning bus routes, including balancing efficiency and safety.
Bus stops need to be conveniently located for families while also providing a secure area for students to wait.
With increasing traffic in many communities, especially near industrial zones, finding the optimal locations for bus stops becomes increasingly complex.
Community involvement is crucial in addressing these issues. Residents are encouraged to report any unsafe situations they observe.
The district values input from those who experience the daily realities of the bus stops, as their insights can lead to meaningful improvements.
As for the family that raised the concern, they hope that by bringing attention to the issue, the district will take further action.
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They believe that it’s better to be proactive in addressing potential dangers rather than waiting for an accident to happen. Their ultimate goal is to ensure that all children in the district can travel to and from school safely.