Letter to the editor: PAT buses not safe for school children

The decision of Pittsburgh Public Schools to eliminate school buses for many Environmental Charter Middle School students is unacceptable.

Allowing children as young as 12 to ride a PAT bus with the general public is extremely unsafe. During the year, children will be getting on and off the bus in the dark, limiting their visibility to other drivers and creating hazardous crossing conditions. They will not be entering a big yellow school bus with flashing red lights that requires traffic to stop to ensure their safety. They will also be riding alone with adult strangers.

Requiring children to ride PAT buses also creates a confusing and potentially dangerous commute to and from school. As a resident of the North Side, my son’s one-way commute to school would be on average one hour and 20 minutes long. He would be required to take the first bus downtown and then transfer to his second bus. This process would require him to ride a total of four PAT buses and sit through 170 stops just to attend school. This would be incredibly difficult for an 12-year-old child to do. This would be nearly impossible for a 12-year-old child with ADHD to do — my son has ADHD.

No child that young should be forced to commute to and from school in these conditions. As I am a tax-paying citizen, my child should be provided with proper, safe transportation to and from school, and the current proposal fails miserably in providing such.

Kristen Pauli

North Side