47 votes

The largest school system in Kentucky temporarily closes after "transportation disaster" that left some children on buses until 10pm on the first day of school

Posted by spit-evil-olive-tips
Tags: usa.ky, schools, children, alpharoute, automotive, buses.school, students, author.amy simonson, author.raja razek, source.cnn
https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/11/us/kentucky-schools-transportation-disaster/index.html

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Title
Kentucky school system closes after 'transportation disaster' leaves kids on buses and in schools for hours | CNN
Published
Aug 11 2023

9 comments

  1. sparksbet
    Link
    The school system and AlphaRoute both seem to be downplaying this like it was just a suboptimal couple extra hours or something. But 10pm is a solid 7 hours after most schools let out. I don't...

    The school system and AlphaRoute both seem to be downplaying this like it was just a suboptimal couple extra hours or something. But 10pm is a solid 7 hours after most schools let out. I don't care how much of a driver shortage you have, something had to go catestrophically wrong for that to happen, and it's frustrating that it doesn't look like they're even identifying what it was in their public statemwnts. I'm really curious what really went down.

    35 votes
  2. [4]
    Rokeba
    Link
    We will try everything, except raising wages.

    We will try everything, except raising wages.

    14 votes
    1. [3]
      teaearlgraycold
      Link Parent
      I'll gladly point this out to any employer. One company I worked at was having trouble hiring software engineers. We were doing relatively mundane work so it makes sense we weren't getting a ton...

      I'll gladly point this out to any employer. One company I worked at was having trouble hiring software engineers. We were doing relatively mundane work so it makes sense we weren't getting a ton of attention. In one of the team meetings the CEO asked if anyone had any ideas for getting people into the hiring pipeline.

      Me: "Well you could always pay people more. Pay people enough and they'll do anything."

      CEO: poker face

      I felt well paid. But regardless he wasn't interested in budging on advertised compensation.

      12 votes
      1. [2]
        bendvis
        Link Parent
        I've found putting it in terms of potential lost revenue or productivity gets C-levels motivated better. Instead of "you could always pay people more," you have to spin it like "not having these...

        I've found putting it in terms of potential lost revenue or productivity gets C-levels motivated better. Instead of "you could always pay people more," you have to spin it like "not having these developers is costing us 33% productivity" or "Upgrading our developer's hardware would would eliminate 30 minutes of compiling downtime for each dev each day."

        10 votes
        1. raze2012
          Link Parent
          You could. but if an employer is complaining about lack of candidates, then they should already be on the same page that they are missing something.

          You could. but if an employer is complaining about lack of candidates, then they should already be on the same page that they are missing something.

          5 votes
  3. shusaku
    Link
    Trying to optimize bus routes like this (including traffic conditions and other causes of delay) is a classic kind of operations research problems. A post Morten would be quite interesting, unless...

    Trying to optimize bus routes like this (including traffic conditions and other causes of delay) is a classic kind of operations research problems. A post Morten would be quite interesting, unless this just ended up as an old fashion communication breakdown. There are two intriguing theories in the article:

    “But we recognize that the situation was extremely regrettable and likely caused by the significant changes to bus routing which were made necessary by the district’s severe driver shortage,” the statement said.

    The issue could have been prevented “with allowing those who perform the task to sit at the table and help design the routes, give ample time to practice the routes, to ensure they are correct

    8 votes
  4. spit-evil-olive-tips
    Link
    archive link some additional reporting about AlphaRoute (archive link)

    archive link

    In a video statement posted to social media Thursday, Jefferson County Public Schools Superintendent Marty Pollio apologized to the district’s 96,000 students, their families, bus drivers and school officials. He said that canceling day two and day three of school was the hardest decision of his superintendent career.

    The school district later announced the school closure will stretch into next Monday and Tuesday as well. The district, which includes Louisville, has 65,000 bus riders, according to its website.

    ...

    AlphaRoute, an engineering firm that develops transportation solutions and is under contract with JCPS, said in a statement to CNN that the company is working “diligently to resolve the issues it experienced,” and it is not clear what the “full range of root causes were for those issues.”

    some additional reporting about AlphaRoute (archive link)

    AlphaRoute is a company located in the Boston area that originated as an MIT-based startup, according to their Linkedin. The company was hired by JCPS in November to optimize its bell schedule and bus routes ahead of the new school year.

    On AlphaRoute's website, the company said it uses "cutting-edge software and analytics to help transportation teams around the world."

    JCPS paid the company at least $265,000 to do the work, according to an original data privacy contract and March amendment obtained by WHAS11.

    7 votes
  5. [2]
    Comment deleted by author
    Link
    1. BHSPitMonkey
      Link Parent
      Clearly the last drop-off was at 09:58:00pm < t < 09:59:59pm. Pretty fine precision!

      Clearly the last drop-off was at 09:58:00pm < t < 09:59:59pm. Pretty fine precision!

      8 votes
  6. purpleyuan
    Link
    I'm a little confused as to what actually happened. It seems implied that there were major routing mistakes leading to a delay in the children being dropped off. But how much of a routing mistake...

    I'm a little confused as to what actually happened. It seems implied that there were major routing mistakes leading to a delay in the children being dropped off. But how much of a routing mistake can result in children being stuck for 6+ hours? I'm baffled.

    5 votes