Parents pack Elizabeth Forward board meeting

By JEFF STITT and CHRISTINE HAINES
jstitt@yourmvi.com
chaines@yourmvi.com
Elizabeth Forward administrators and school board directors faced a standing-room-only crowd Wednesday as parents demanded to know the future of bus transportation within the school district.
Wednesday marked the third day this week students along several EF bus routes were without service as a result of an ongoing dispute between the district and its transportation provider, Pennsylvania Coach Lines.
Solicitor John Rushford and EF Superintendent Dr. Todd Keruskin were in court Tuesday after hundreds of students were left stranded both Monday and Tuesday on short notice from the bus line. Judge Christine Ward on Tuesday directed PA Coach to resume all normal bus runs including EF buses 106, 114, 117 and 118.
On Wednesday morning, the district sent out a text message to parents stating that PA Coach Lines had notified the district that it would not be providing morning or afternoon service for buses 106 and 114, two of the buses specifically mentioned by the judge.
Because PA Coach did not provide services for those two bus routes, Keruskin and Rushford were in court once again on Wednesday.
Three parents spoke at Wednesday’s meeting and they all wanted to know what came from Wednesday’s court proceedings and if children along bus routes 106 and 114 will be able to catch a bus this morning. “Was an agreement reached?” parent Leslie Messina asked the board. “Has this been worked out and what is plan if nothing is worked out?
“Obviously David Sunstein is not doing what he is supposed to do, so what is the plan? What do we do going forward. We clearly can’t trust (Sunstein).”
Board President Thomas Sharkey Jr. said Ward gave the district permission on Wednesday to contract with a different transportation company for the two routes in question.
“Literally within two hours of the judge’s ruling today we were able to get that accomplished,” Keruskin said.
After the meeting, Sharkey said Student Transportation of America Inc., will be used for the two bus routes. Yough School District currently uses that bus company. He said STA will pick up students along routes 106 and 114 starting today.

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