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Washington County students help improve bus route system

Ridge Road Elementary's STEAM team came up with a plan to make the county's bus routes more efficient and hopefully help the driver shortage

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ga. — James Nelson's been a driver with the Washington County School District for the past seven years and he loves it.

"I look forward to doing this every day," Nelson said.

His first responsibility is to keep students safe, but without designated bus stops, it can be a challenge.

"In the project area, where it's like 614, 616, 618, 620, so I'm making a lot of stops," Nelson said.

Transportation Director Willie Coneway has 46 bus drivers on staff and still have two positions open.

"We transport city students as well as students out in our rural areas and we stop door-to-door right now, pretty much every bus," Coneway said.

To try to help, Ridge Road Elementary's STEAM Team came up with a plan.

"Bus drivers have to go to every single house, which uses up their fuel," fifth-grader Wyatt Hopkins said.

"We researched stuff on the computer to see what the main thing was wrong with bus driver shortage and we interviewed Mr. Coneway to see what he had to say about it," 4th grader Jamaryon Woodard said.

"We found a total of 254 stops in those cities in Washington County," fourth-grader Chloee Anderson said.

"We thought about making bus stops at the beginning of every street. That way, the kids don't have to walk far and the bus driver can save fuel," Hopkins said.

By cutting costs on fuel, the students hope the county can put that money toward bus drivers' pay. Coneway says it could work.

"We've already talked about it, and the students are helping this process by doing what they're doing. They're doing the research for us," Coneway said.

The STEAM Team meets three times a week after school.

They work on projects that include technology, engineering, art, and mathematics and present them at district-wide competitions.

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