Overcrowded school buses? Calgary students claim they were forced to ride home on the bus floor

Many parents registered for school bus service long ago, but not everyone has done the same.

“People don’t register online when they’re supposed to and then there’s an overload of people on the bus,” one parent said.

That’s exactly what her kids told her happened Wednesday, on their second day home from school this year.

Global News has agreed to not reveal her name over concerns her kids would face repercussions at school.

Bussing company First Student Canada said late registration does make it difficult to predict how many kids will need a ride. But they claimed the bus in question wasn’t at capacity and that the students refused to sit three to a seat.

“There was no one seat empty – I believe, actually, there was one child that wanted to sit on the floor because everyone else was – so that left one seat available,” the kids’ mother said.

Parents confronted the bus driver immediately after their kids were dropped off.

“When I brought it up to him he said he needed to get the kids home.”

First Student Canada said the kids shouldn’t have been allowed to sit on the floor and that the driver has been disciplined. Officials said they have replaced the 66 passenger bus with one that holds 72.

But it hasn’t eased parents concerns about safety.

“If that bus driver had to slam on the brakes for any which reason, these children are very small and could have easily flown to the busy and… really injured themselves.”

Parents pay $335 per student per year for bussing and said with, no schools in their neighbourhood, they simply have no other option.