Saint-Orens: South of Toulouse, parents worried about transport to college
Very upset against the problems encountered on the school bus lines (delays, absences and overloaded buses), the parents of René Cassin college students are stepping up to the plate and challenging the transport company and the county council. A meeting is sensitive.
Since the spring of 2022, the school bus lines S4165 and S4166 – which serve Auzielle in particular – to the René Cassin college in Saint-Orens have presented a problem. “We are a collective of angry parents who are very worried about the safety of their children.”
Between delays, bus absences and lack of communication, parents are helpless. “Parents are not informed at all. Sometimes a single bus covers both lines, with children traveling standing up for lack of space, in total disregard of basic safety rules! All these disorganizations have generated increasing stress among students and parents alike! »
An “unsustainable” situation
Faced with this situation, the parents initially took steps individually with the county council as well as with the transport company.
Unfortunately, this resulted in “only agreed answers and no concrete improvements”. Noting the ineffectiveness of these steps and the acceleration of failures in recent weeks, parents have decided to express their anger collectively and to urge the organizations in charge of school transport, principals and providers, to implement quickly place a permanent solution. The collective has notably set up a petition which has already collected a good number of signatures.
Shortage of drivers
Contacted by La Dépêche du Midi, Aude Lumeau-Preceptis, departmental councilor for the Canton of Castanet-Tolosan, indicated that contact had been made with the group of parents of students. “We are aware of the situation and the parents are right to alert us. The problem does not only concern this line, there is a shortage of bus drivers in the department as well as nationally. »
The county council also recognizes a communication problem, in particular to warn parents on certain days. “For various reasons, the service provider does not directly report information concerning driver absences, which unfortunately means that we cannot notify families in time”.
Aude Lumeau-Preceptis wants to be reassuring, however, assuring that the departmental council “is trying to find solutions”, adding that “we must keep families informed”.
A meeting with the parents and the transport services of the department should also be organized.
