JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Duval County mom said repeated missed school bus pickups are putting both her sons’ education and her nursing job at risk. Now, the district and its bus contractor said they’re working on a solution.
On Jan. 10, Jacksonville mother Shantel Bryant reached out to News4JAX to share her experience, hoping to get some help. She said for the past two years, she has struggled with inconsistent school bus service for her two boys, Mason and Major, who both rely on specialized transportation through Duval County Public Schools.
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Major has cerebral palsy and epilepsy and uses a wheelchair, and Mason has autism and ADHD. Both ride the same specialized route operated by Student Transportation of America (STA).
Bryant said that while problems have stretched over two years, the last two months have been especially difficult. She said the bus has failed to show up at their stop several times recently, arriving extremely late or not at all, with no warning.
“For the last two years, they pretty much see that the bus is not coming. It is coming super late, and we’re not getting any warnings, no phone calls at all to give us any updates on the bus,” Bryant said. “We’re calling them and they’re telling us one thing, but yet doing another. This is causing them to be late to school multiple times, and has caused me to just constantly be late to work.”
Bryant works as a unit manager at a skilled nursing facility in Orange Park. She said she’s expected at work by 7 a.m., but her sons’ school doesn’t start until 8 a.m., and the bus is scheduled to arrive at 6:30 a.m.
She said the drive time leaves no margin for error.
“They’re expected — school starts at 8 a.m., and I’m expected to be at work by 7 a.m. So, if I’m dropping them off right at 8 o’clock, that’s another 30 or 40-minute drive to get to work in morning traffic,” she explained.
Bryant said the missed and late buses have led to multiple tardies for her sons and repeated late arrivals for her, and added that her employer has already given her two attendance warnings.
“Once it gets to the third one, it has to be put on paper, and then it starts traveling down to being fired,” Bryant said.
Bryant told News4JAX she reached out not only to express her frustration, but also to get answers and push for change. She said she has been in contact with the head of transportation for Duval County Public Schools, but she doesn’t feel like a long-term solution has materialized.
She also pointed to frequent driver turnover on her route as part of the problem.
Bryant said that as of this week, her children are on their fifth bus driver this year.
“The bus drivers are trying, but the system is broken,” Bryant said. “You can’t do it inconsistently when you’re dealing with disabled and special needs kids. That doesn’t work for them, that puts them off their rhythm of every day. My son is like, ‘Who’s picking me up, Mama?’ I wish I can give you an answer.”
Bryant said she understands there are broader challenges, but believes families like hers need more stability.
“I understand you guys are trying, but at this point, we should have a resolution. It’s been two years in the game — where is the resolution, where’s the safety and consistency for the kids that need it the most?” she said.
She said she worries about what happens if the situation doesn’t improve.
“If I lose my job, I’m just back home trying to figure out another thing because there really are no other options for us,” Bryant said.
District and bus company respond
After hearing Bryant’s story, News4JAX contacted DCPS and STA, the company that operates the route serving Bryant’s children.
In a statement, the Duval County School District said STA has been in touch with Bryant and outlined a plan to improve service:
“The management team at Student Transportation of America (STA) has connected directly with the parent to discuss the transportation challenges experienced and has outlined a clear action plan to improve service moving forward. The district’s transportation team will continue to closely monitor the situation to ensure these commitments are fully implemented.
For additional details regarding the specific action steps STA is taking to resolve this issue, you may contact STA directly. Their statement is included below for your reference, and they can also be reached directly at the contact information provided.
We appreciate this concern being brought to our attention and understand how critical consistent and reliable transportation is for students. As STA acknowledges below, this family did not receive the level of service every student deserves. We value the family’s patience and partnership as STA works to resolve this matter, and we encourage the parent to reach out if any additional concerns arise so we can continue to support the student’s needs."
Duval County Public Schools
The district also told News4JAX that the situation is part of a nationwide school bus driver shortage that has affected Duval County and other school systems across the country.
STA acknowledged the problems on Bryant’s route and said the service she has received does not meet its standards.
“The service issues experienced by this parent are unfortunate and STA want to clearly express that this does not meet our internal standards for school bus transportation. After researching the details of each incident, STA has identified points of failure in their internal communication and notification processes. STA will immediately deploy some additional checkpoints to better monitor and improve service quality. At the end of the day, STA did not provide the service that students and families deserve. We apologize for the shortcomings in service and communications, and we thank Ms. Bryant for bringing these concerns to our attention so that we can use this information to improve our service.”
Student Transportation of America (STA)
Bryant said she appreciates the apologies and the promised action plan, but remains skeptical after dealing with similar problems over the last two school years.
She said for families of children with disabilities, consistent and reliable transportation isn’t just a convenience — it’s essential to their education, therapies and daily stability. With no nearby family or neighbors to lean on for daily rides, she said the bus is her only realistic option.
For now, Bryant says she is hoping the district and STA follow through on their commitments and that her sons can finally count on seeing their bus pull up and on time every morning.