Blythe Bernhard

The district reconfigured the routes to add close to 1,000 more students to yellow buses. But some parents said the changes made it worse.

A mix of buses, taxis and rideshare cars from multiple vendors plus MetroBus have combined to take students to school.

George Sells, the district’s director of communications, was let go on Wednesday according to several SLPS staff members.

There have also been serious safety concerns about the taxis carrying an estimated 6,200 children, according to several interviews and online posts in SLPS parent groups.

Missing buses, late taxis and student no-shows mark the first day of school amid a transportation crisis for St. Louis Public Schools. First day attendance estimated at just 72%.

The past month has been tumultuous for the 19,000-student district, starting with the departure of Superintendent Keisha Scarlett.

More than 1,000 students lost their rides on the first day of school Monday after SLPS is down another 36 buses.

The school closure discussion follows other pressing issues for the district, including a state performance audit and transportation crisis.

The plan includes some traditional yellow buses along with hundreds of smaller vehicles including taxicabs, shuttles and private rideshares.

Hundreds of parents gathered to hear from SLPS transportation staff about the patchwork plan to compensate for a lack of school buses.