HORRY COUNTY, SC (WBTW) – Horry County School Transportation is gearing up for the school year by creating bus routes and adding new buses to their fleet.
Every bus in the county has been inspected to ensure complete safety.
This is the busiest time of the year for transportation employees as they learn new routes and timing for timely drop-offs and pick-ups.
Some routes and bus numbers may have changed from last year due to updates in city grading, especially in the Myrtle Beach area.
“A lot of the routes and the numbers have changed. The stops are the same. Just don’t assume that you are on bus three just because you were on bus three last year,” said Jim Wright, Executive Director of Transportation.
The biggest addition to county transportation are brand new school buses.
The 2019 models have air conditioning, updated seats, and seat belt features for students with special needs.
“We received 27 propane buses last year. Most of those are located in the St. James area. We’re scheduled to get 20 more of those buses, so that’s a good increase to the upgrade in our fleet,” said Wright.
At the Conway Bus Office supervisor of attendance area Debbie Roban and her team are creating new bus routes.
“We’ve been working on getting our routes ready for the new school year, answering phone calls, e-mails from parents, administrators, some teachers,” said Roban.
Transportation officials urge parents with registered students to find their bus stop and route online before school starts.
“We ask parents to understand that the first week of school, actually the first week of school is very hectic for everyone involved,” said Roban, “You can expect the buses to be running late. Especially in the afternoons as we make sure the students are on the correct buses before they leave the school.”
The county has installed live tracking devices in every bus.
Although it might take a little longer for your student to be dropped off home, you can follow them every block by using the travel tracker.
