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GCS staff member rides city bus after community concerns

"It's a great system, and if anything it showed me how great of a system it was," said School Support Officer Dr. Jamie King.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Some Guilford County students took city buses to class because of a school bus driver shortage.

News 2 caught up with a staff member who wanted to experience the ride himself. 

"It's a great system. If anything, it showed me how great of a system it was," said School Support Officer Dr. Jamie King.

For school support, officer Dr. Jamie King rode the city transportation bus for the first time. 

Dr. King said, over the weekend, it was difficult hearing hurtful comments from those who were not in favor of their child riding the city bus.

"The people on that bus were going to work. They were going to Walmart to buy groceries. They were going to the grocery store. They were going to wherever they needed to go that day," said Dr. King 

After hearing the comments, he decided to hop on experience the ride himself.

"I drove to my office. Luckily there are two bus stops walking distance from my office, and I just went on them rode to the depot and then, when I got to the depot I saw all the signs that said Guilford County Schools, here's where you go," said Dr. King.

He says people working at the bus depot were very helpful, and his ride was smooth.

"The bus was not packed. There was plenty of room. At no point, if I were a student, I would have felt unsafe. When I got to the depot, the depot person alone was so informative," said Dr. King. 

Dr. King says he did have preconceived notions of kids waiting at the depot for 20 to 40 minutes to get on a bus. But, he found out the experience was different.

"The majority of the buses get there, and then about five to seven minutes later all of the busses leave, and so, really five to seven minutes is the longest wait time you have at the depot," said Dr. King. 

Dr. King says he will ride the bus again tomorrow and looks forward to doing the process all over again.

"If you have a concern go ride the bus. It was a wonderful experience," said Dr.King.

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