Unplanned Elmhurst School Bus Trip To Rosemont

ELMHURST, IL – An Elmhurst school bus driver made the "critical mistake" of driving local students to Rosemont late last month, according to documents.

Through a public records request, Patch obtained an email from First Student, Elmhurst School District 205's bus provider, to district officials. The email was March 1, a day after the unplanned trip. It was in response to an email from a parent, according to First Student.

While the bus driver looked at her path, she took one exit early off Interstate 290 to Lake Street, the company said.

The parent said in the email, which the district did not release, that the driver went into a warehouse parking lot to turn around, but it was actually Sam's Club, First Student said.

The driver told her company that she took the opportunity in the parking lot to tell students to turn off their music, First Student said.

"Instead of rerouting herself to North Ave., she made the critical mistake of getting on the 294 north ramp, which once you get on, there is no exit until Balmoral Ave," First Student's Cody Hausherr said in the email.

The email did not indicate where the students attended.

In its public records request, Patch asked for any notifications from the district to parents about the issue. The district did not provide the notification in its first response to the request. On Thursday morning, the school furnished Patch with the message it issued to parents. The district said it was an oversight not to provide the document.

Around the country, bus contract costs are increasing dramatically. This year, the district is paying 17 percent more, and a 12 percent hike is proposed for next year.

The district has yet to approve next year's contract, with officials saying they want to include performance metrics.