Safeway Responds To Recent Bus Issues At Glen Ellyn Schools

GLEN ELLYN, IL — After buses broke down in subzero temperatures in Glen Ellyn, Safeway Transportation Services is taking additional measures to "ensure weather-related issues minimally disrupt [its] operations," Amy Kent, a spokesperson for Safeway, told Patch.

On Jan. 21, buses operated by Safeway broke down or were late to pick up students in Glen Ellyn School District 41, Superintendent Dr. Jeff McHugh said in a letter to parents. McHugh wrote that he was "deeply frustrated by the continued failures" of Safeway, which also came under fire from district parents at the start of the school year.

In October, Patch received reports via email of buses arriving late to pick up District 41 students and dropping them off in areas with which the students were not familiar. Safeway made a "Here Comes the Bus" app available to students and their families in November.

Following the Jan. 21 issues, McHugh wrote that the district was "in communication with our legal counsel and will be engaging other providers who could possibly meet our transportation needs."

Kent confirmed that some Safeway buses were "unable to start" on Jan. 21, despite efforts to start the buses early and perform preventive maintenance. Kent said buses were able to start in time to accommodate Safeway's afternoon pickups.

Kent told Patch, "We continue to improve our communications with District staff and have implemented several new technologies, including turn-by-turn GPS, that help streamline our routes. We have also hired additional managers, technicians, drivers, and support staff across our locations to enhance operations."

She concluded, "We remain committed to improving our policies and procedures to ensure we provide safe, quality, and reliable transportation to the families we serve."