GATESVILLE, Texas — “I was mad — there's no reason for that,” said one ISD parent, Elaine Kinney.
Several parents in the Gatesville community are frustrated after several incidents have occurred with a district bus driver.
Elaine is one of many Gatesville ISD parents that 25 News spoke to, that are looking for answers after one student took this video of the driver talking on the phone while operating a bus carrying local students.
Parents say this is one of many incidents they’ve had with the same driver.
"That's child endangerment — She put my child in danger and she put every other child that’s been put on that bus in danger. It’s illegal to drive while talking on the phone… it’s illegal for them, it's illegal for us and it’s illegal for someone that has a CDL license,” Kinney said.
“You hear all these stories about these buses crashing anyways. And a lot of them are accidents but this is an accident that can be prevented. You don't have your one-hundred percent attention on the road if you’re on a cell phone,” said Gatesville ISD parent Heather Cook.
25 News some digging and according to the Texas Department of Transportation, school bus drivers may not use cellphones at all while driving if children are present.
But parents say this isn’t the only concern they’ve had with the driver.
"She’s doing 60 in a 40 mile per hour zone. She comes in this neighborhood to pick up the kids and is speeding… I’ve seen it myself,” Kinney said.
“The speeding… that’s a big vehicle to try and stop when you’re speeding. Not stopping and stop signs and getting mad at students and break checking them,” Cook said.
The parents say they reached out to the district superintendent who listened to their concerns over the phone but has yet to offer any resolution.
25 News reached out to the district for a comment about the situation and to find out if the driver will face any discipline.
But as of Tuesday afternoon, no one from the district has responded to our calls.
“I love my hometown and I love this school but my children, my grandchildren, and the children that I love in this community come first — and I’ll speak out for them no matter who it upsets,” Kinney said.
