The School District of Philadelphia says it is working to address transportation problems affecting some students with disabilities enrolled in its Extended School Year (ESY) program after parents reported repeated bus delays and missed pickups. Brent Rose, whose 9-year-old son attends the ESY pr ogram at De Burgos Elementary School in North Philadelphia, said transportation issues have disrupted his family’s daily routine since the program began in late June. “Many times I would call and I would get no answer. That was frequently a problem. And sometimes I would call and they would say, ‘I don’t have a bus for you today,'” Rose said. Rose said his son’s bus has failed to arrive on more than half of the days it was scheduled to transport him, forcing him and his wife to find last-minute alternatives to get him to and from school. “It frustrates me for myself, for the other parents and also just for the teachers. I feel like they are trying their hardest. They have been wonderful with the program. It’s a slap in their face as well when the students can’t get there on time because the buses just won’t pick them up,” Rose said. Transportation for the ESY program is provided by First Student. Rose said the program is especially important for students with autism. “This program caters to children on the autistic spectrum, and the purpose of it is so they don’t lose the gains that they make during the school year,” he said. He also said the transportation disruptions have been difficult for his son to understand. “It’s very hard for a child like him not understanding why the bus isn’t coming,” Rose said. In a statement to NBC10, the School District of Philadelphia acknowledged the transportation issues. “We are aware that some families have experienced transportation delays and service disruptions for Extended School Year (ESY) programming,” the district said. The district said the disruptions are “related to staffing and operational issues affecting a portion of the transportation services provided by First Student.” School officials said they are working with First Student to address the issues and have already reassigned 10 routes previously handled by the company in an effort to improve reliability. Rose said he hopes the district will continue pressing for improvements. “My hope, as I said to the district, is this is a private company. They don’t have to listen to me, but they should be listening to you. What I would hope is that if it’s a staffing issue, hire more staff and communicate better with the parents,” he said. NBC10 reached out to First Student for comment on the transportation concerns and has not yet received a response. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication. ...read more read less