School Starts August 1, 2023
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Letter to Parents about the Here Comes the Bus App
Welcome to the start of the 2023-2024 school year! We have launched another successful academic year, and I want to be transparent about some of the punctuality and communication challenges some of you may be facing.
First, please allow me to highlight the expanded use of Here Comes The Bus (HCTB) app for regular bus riders. This application and website enable you to subscribe to the location of your child’s school bus by using a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer. The HCTB app informs you when the bus is near your child’s assigned stop – based on the bus stop radius established by you – so you can send your child out at the right time.
I am also aware of the concerns associated with the HCTB app. Many of the concerns are not rooted in app functionality, rather, they are rooted in bus driver staffing shortages. APS and school districts across the country are faced with *bus driver shortages, as well as the unprecedented challenges associated with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that include quarantines and health protocols and guidelines. The current bus driver shortage is causing last-minute substitutions, late bus arrivals, and the need for one bus to perform two or more runs at your student’s school.
The HCTB app is designed to provide you with information on planned bus routes. Unfortunately, given its functionality, the app was not designed to provide you with information on double-routes and other real-time changes because of bus driver shortages. However, I do understand your frustration and appreciate your continued patience and support as we work diligently to address these challenges.
Please be assured that the app and the Transportation Call Center at (404) 802-5500 (5:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on school days) remain useful tools to assist you in locating your child’s bus when it is traveling on its original route. For more information, or to download the app, visit: https://herecomesthebus.com/.
If you know someone who is interested in becoming an APS bus driver, please refer them to the APS website where they can apply for the position and join our ranks of serving students: https://apscareers.org/bus-driver/.
Your child’s safety remains our top priority. Thank you for your patience and support as we continue to put students first at Atlanta Public Schools.
Sincerely,
John Franklin,
Executive Director of Transportation
*[This link will direct you to a third-party site. Atlanta Public Schools is not responsible for the function of this third-party site nor the information contained within.]
