Duval County mom says missed special-needs bus pickups disrupt schooling and threaten her job

Family reports repeated missed pickups on specialized route

A Duval County mother says recurring failures in school bus pickup service have jeopardized her two sons’ special education routines and created repeated conflicts with her work schedule. The parent, Shantel Bryant, said inconsistent morning transportation has persisted for roughly two school years, with the last two months described as particularly disruptive.

Bryant’s sons, Mason and Major, use a specialized school transportation route. She said the bus has arrived far behind schedule on some mornings and has not appeared at all on others, without advance notice. Bryant said the uncertainty has led to her children arriving late to school and has forced her to be late to work.

Medical and educational needs make reliable transportation critical

Major uses a wheelchair and has cerebral palsy and epilepsy, while Mason has autism and ADHD, Bryant said. The two students ride the same specialized route operated by Student Transportation of America (STA), one of Duval County Public Schools’ contracted transportation vendors.

Bryant, who works as a unit manager at a skilled nursing facility in Orange Park, said she is expected to report to work by 7 a.m., while her sons’ school day begins at 8 a.m. She said the bus is scheduled to arrive around 6:30 a.m., and when it runs late or fails to arrive, there is no practical alternative that allows her to meet both responsibilities.

• She reported receiving two attendance warnings from her employer tied to transportation delays.
• She also pointed to frequent driver turnover on the route, saying her children had a fifth driver this school year.

District and contractor outline response

Duval County Public Schools said STA had contacted Bryant directly, discussed the challenges experienced, and outlined an action plan intended to improve service. The district said its transportation team would monitor the situation to ensure commitments are implemented.

The district also tied the incident to broader staffing pressures, citing a nationwide shortage of school bus drivers that has affected Duval and other systems.

STA acknowledged the service problems and said the level of service described did not meet its internal standards. The company said it identified breakdowns in internal communication and notification processes and planned to deploy additional checkpoints to improve monitoring and service quality.

Broader transportation system pressures in Duval

Duval County Public Schools contracts transportation services through external vendors and has adjusted transportation-related policies in recent years, including eligibility and operational rules aimed at aligning with state law and managing system constraints. The district has also promoted tools intended to improve transparency for families, including a real-time bus tracking app for registered riders.

For families of students with disabilities who depend on specialized routes, missed pickups can affect not only attendance but also the stability and predictability that many students rely on for daily routines.

Bryant said she welcomed apologies and promised changes but remained concerned, arguing that consistent transportation is essential for her children’s education and her family’s ability to maintain employment.