x
Breaking News
More () »

Sheriffs Office reacts to school bus stop problems in Midland

It can be a busy and fast-paced road on 1788 in Midland and it also happens to also be a bus stop for a few MISD students.
(Source: KWES)

MIDLAND COUNTY, TX (KWES) - It can be a busy and fast-paced road on 1788 in Midland and it also happens to also be a bus stop for a few MISD students.

Sheri Vallejo is the grandmother to an MISD student and she says that she wants her bus stop changed for the safety of her grandchild.

Local law enforcement say that they do patrol the area, but Thursday morning and afternoon they brought extra patrol units to the area.

A Midland County deputy said in the morning hours they issued about three citations, but in the afternoon all the vehicles stopped and no citations were given.

"Just to know that the presences is out here, you know even if it's not every day just so the people know that it is happening and that they need to be watching out for these buses," said Sheri Vallejo.

MISD also released this statement.  ?The safety of our students is our top priority. We understand that in order for our students to learn and thrive, they must be in a comfortable environment and feel safe.

There has been some concern about the safety of our students loading and unloading at a bus stop along 1788. The Midland ISD Police and Transportation departments, along with the Department of Transportation (DPS) have visited this stop multiple times. Due to the location, there is not an area close by that safely allows for our large school buses to turn around.

The safety of our children on public streets is the responsibility of everyone in our community. Each of our buses are marked with flashing stop signs when loading and unloading, and it is the law to stop. Our Chief of Police has been in communication with Midland County and the Department of Public Safety (DPS) about holding drivers accountable for not following bus safety laws during peak loading and unloading times.

This school year, a DPS officer has sat on our bus during this route and issued citations for motorists that do not stop during the loading and unloading process. Our discussions are currently ongoing as we work through providing a safer stop.

We urge all citizens to be mindful of children loading and unloading our buses throughout the day, and remind all motorists that it is the law to stop any time a bus has its flashing stop sign extended.  We encourage all members of our community to work together to ensure our students are safe.

Before You Leave, Check This Out