Re: Teen hit by truck dies at hospital, story, Oct. 11.
As a recent Pinellas County school district relief school bus driver (I resigned on Sept. 17), I was horrified to drive up to the accident that mortally injured 16-year-old Rebecca McKinney on McMullen-Booth Road in Clearwater. A colleague of mine witnessed the schoolgirl struck by the Chevrolet S-10.
The bus driver who dropped off the students at the stop at San Bernadino Street did everything correctly. She was able to stop traffic heading north, but because the median was wider than 5 feet, could not stop traffic in the southbound lanes.
I am not at all surprised this event occurred. The school district transportation department has an unwritten policy of having high school students fend for themselves. The district is far more concerned with the safety of elementary school students.
With that said, if an audit was done on any number of school bus routes, it would find numerous stops that would be considered treacherous. I personally had several stops where I felt apprehensive letting students off to cross six lanes of traffic, including ones with medians.
School bus drivers will request route/stop changes to improve safety and get denied by the routing department or management. Some drivers feel that they are not being heard. As a former bus driver I feel that changes need to be made. Granted, the school district has the pressure of busing more high school students throughout the county (i.e. a Tarpon Springs student traveling to Lakewood High School), but its solution is to make the stops convenient to the line of travel and time, often at the cost of student safety.
Currently, I believe 3 percent of all bus stops would be considered hazardous. As Rebecca's grandfather, Marvin Gerhard, said, "Everybody knows (McMullen-Booth Road) is one of the most highly traveled roads in Pinellas County, and to have a school drop-off on the opposite side of the road is ridiculous. I think our school administrators and our transportation department need to wake up and smell the roses."
Please contact the School Board and ask for changes.
-- Karen L. Mullin, Dunedin
Accident shows need for bus stop changes
Re: Teen hit by truck dies at hospital, story, Oct. 11.
I am writing to express my extreme concern over the circumstances surrounding the death of Rebecca McKinney. I am so blown away by the fact that a child would be allowed to get off a bus and cross six lanes of traffic with vehicles traveling 50-70 mph. How can this be?
I am 46 years old and would not attempt to cross McMullen-Booth Road. If this is an ongoing event, I am amazed that there have not been many more fatalities of school-aged children.
I could rant and rave, as that is how I am feeling, but I just want to insist that someone fix this situation. There should be no time that a child should have to cross more than a two-lane road. Do whatever it takes! Please!
-- Tana L. Shepherd, Clearwater
New logo says nothing of PSTA's problems
Re: New logo marks PSTA milestone, story, Oct. 6.
Oh, no! Another PR piece about a Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority novelty that does absolutely nothing for the average bus rider. How come you never write about the needs and problems of the average passenger, like the rock 'n' roll bus 9719; or the 9721, where the destination sign never works for more than three days in a row; or even the entire 9600 and 9700 series that had to have the rear destination signs turned off because of the danger of electrical fires? These old clunkers are never repaired or replaced. So they will have a new logo painted on them. Who cares?
As for handing out a few free passes, how come your reporter did not mention that if a new, unused $40 bus pass is bent or damaged before its first use, the PSTA will not replace it? The passenger has to buy another one.
Your coverage of public transit in Pinellas County is so unbalanced. It's all advertising for PSTA.
-- John Royse, St. Petersburg
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