Extreme heat blankets Southeast Louisiana, which means sometimes long rides for students on buses without air conditioning.
“She gets out of school at 4:08 p.m.; she doesn’t make it home until like 4:45,” said one Bogalusa mom, “so, yeah, that’s a long ride on a bus with no AC and it’s 95 degrees outside.”
This mom, who wished to remain anonymous, tells WDSU she doesn’t have a choice but to have her child ride the bus home because of her work schedule.
However, on days where the heat seems unbearable, her concern goes far beyond comfort.
“I mean, as far as passing out due to it being hot or something like that. Yeah, that’ll be my concern,” the mom said.
There isn’t a law that requires school buses to have AC; however, several school districts on the Northshore already have school buses equipped with the cooling system.
St Tammany Parish’s Superintendent Frank Jabbia sent over this statement:
“The safety and well-being of our students is always a priority, especially during periods of extreme heat. More than three-quarters of our buses are equipped with air conditioning, including all of our Students with Exceptionalities buses. On buses without AC, windows are lowered for ventilation, and we work to keep routes as efficient as possible to minimize the amount of time students spend on buses.”
WDSU could not confirm how many school buses in Washington Parish have an AC unit, but in Tangipahoa, a spokesperson confirmed that they are getting more school buses with AC units soon.
Several bus drivers on the Northshore spoke to WDSU anonymously, and they shared driving a bus with AC is a game changer for both them and the students.
One of them said when she didn’t have AC, she used to give her students popsicles or cool drinks for the ride.
For this Bogalusa mom, she equips her daughter with “a little small fan, so if she gets hot, she can pull it out and cool herself off.” The mom said.
WDSU was unable to confirm a timeline on when more buses with ACs will be added to the fleet in Tangipahoa Parish.
READ MORE:Parents call for AC on school buses amid extreme heat
