Districts across Oklahoma are getting ready to roll out their fleet of buses to get kids to school.
“Getting to see their faces is going to be really fun," said Tabatha McReynolds, a bus driver for Muskogee Public Schools.
McReynolds can't wait for her second year as a driver for the district.
“I'm the first person that they see in the morning. If they're having a bad day at home then I'm going to be a smile that they see and the encouraging word that they hear before they start their school day," said McReynolds.
Muskogee schools didn't have the best start last year when the district launched a new bus route mapping software.
Administrators don’t want it to happen again this year...
“We're trying to keep everything the same so that we don't have a disruptive start to the school year," said Brad Smythe, Muskogee Public Schools Transportation Director.
The software changed the routes, but also helped the district save money according to Smythe.
“One of the ways we did that was through route planning software and we were actually able to cut six routes, which remember is not just a bus driver it's that many buses out running full time up and down the highways, so it made a huge difference to our bottom line at Muskogee Public Schools," said Smythe.
School district officials want to make sure parents are prepared.
Muskogee parents can go to the district's website and search for the bus route their child is supposed to be on.
“The system is going to be taxed in the morning. The first day of school things are going to be running slow we have lots of new students coming to the bus lots of new kindergartners coming. We have to take extra time to make sure they're safe. they understand what the bus rules are," said Smythe.
Drivers will be ready too.
“Be patient with us. We'll get all the kinks worked out. Just try and work with us,” said Smythe.
