Robin Drake

School bus driver representatives Joy Mullins and Don Kesler, who are school bus drivers in themselves, speak Tuesday to the Stephens County Board of Education regarding proposed changes in school bus operations.

Stephens County — No changes are planned for the Stephens County public schools’ transportation system, for now.

At the regular Stephens County Board of Education meeting Tuesday, board members voted to table any plans to change school start times and possibly reduce the number of bus drivers needed.

The conversation started when a proposal was brought before the board at its work session last week that was aimed at increasing the efficiency of the transportation system.

The proposal, which independent consultant Dannie Reed presented to the board July 17, included an option that changed school start times, which left the high school not beginning school until 8:50 a.m. In addition, the proposal presented changes in the bus routes that would allow the school system to require 23 fewer bus drivers.

Nearly 75 people, mostly bus drivers, crowded into the boardroom, at the meeting Tuesday. Representatives of the bus drivers spoke to the board and indicated concern about being able to complete all the routes in Stephens County in the times proposed. The representatives also raised concerns about how the change in school times would affect parents’ ability to transport children to school and arrange for care for young children after school.

Stephens County High School Assistant Principal Sandy Steele told the board that ending classes at the high school close to 4 p.m. would make it difficult for student-athletes to arrive at competitions on time without missing class time. Steele estimated half of the student body participates in some kind of after-school activity.

The school board unanimously decided to continue to study efficiency issues and not make any changes in the near future. Board members told the audience that the board wanted to work with the bus drivers and would form a committee to study transportation efficiency.