School Zone Cameras: Chatham County Police issue warning to drivers as students return to class (2024)

THIS WEEK WE'RE BRINGING YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW AHEAD OF THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. WJCL 22 NEWS' SAVANNAH YOUNGER TELLS US THE NEED FOR BUS DRIVERS FOR THE SAVANNAH CHATHAM PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM... AND HOW CHATHAM AREA TRANSIT'S FREE RIDE PROGRAM WILL HELP STUDENTS CATCH A RIDE TO SCHOOL. UNFORTUNATELY, SAVANNAH CHATAHM COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM SAID THEY ARE SHORT BUS DRIVERS. BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS... THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DID *NOT HAVE A DECLINE IN BUS DRIVERS COMPARED TO LAST YEAR. PKG: VO: THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION TELLS ME THERE WERE 197 DRIVERS LAST YEAR.. AND THAT NUMBER REMAINS THE SAME. THEIR GOAL IS TO HAVE 220 DRIVERS. THE STARTING SALARY HAS INCREASED TO 22.55 DOLLARS AN HOUR.. AND GOES UP TO 30.95 DOLLARS AN HOUR. SO.. IF THIS IS A JOB YOUR INTERESTED IN.. THE DISTRICT SAYS THEY COULD REALLY USE YOUR HELP. SOT: LANETTA MILLS- SCCPSS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION "WE WANT TO REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY TO HELP THEM, HELP US TO BE ABLE TO TRANSPORT THEIR KIDS MORE EFFICIENTLY AND BETTER BY RECRUITING." VO: I DID ASK IF THIS BUS DRIVER SHORTAGE WOULD IMPACT STUDENTS BEING PICKED UP AND DROPPED OF AT THEIR BUS ROUTES.. AND MILLS TELLS IT WILL *NOT. NOW.. IF YOU'RE CHILD BUS IS RUNNING LATE OR IF ANY OTHER CHANGES OCCUR... PARENTS WILL BE NOTIFIED THROUGH AN APP CALLED "HERE COMES THE BUS." FSG: ON JULY 31ST... PARENTS AND THEIR KIDS HAVE THE CHANCE TO TAKE A RIDE ON THE SAVANNAH- CHATHAM BUSES.. AHEAD OF THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. BUS DRIVERS WILL DRIVE PARENTS THROUGH THEIR CHILD'S REGULAR ROUTE. YOU MUST BE AT YOUR ASSIGNED BUS STOP THAT MORNING... AND WILL BE DROPPED OFF AT THE BUS STOP AFTER THE RIDE. VO: IF YOU'RE CHILD WISHES TO TAKE A DIFFERENT TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM SCHOOL.. CHATHAM AREA TRANSIT IS EXTENDING ITS ZERO FARE PILOT PROGRAM.. THAT ALLOWS STUDENTS TO RIDE THE CITY BUS FOR FREE. THE PROGRAM STARTED IN JANUARY AND RAN THROUGH MAY... AND NOW IS CONTNUING UNTIL THE END OF DECEMBER. DURING THE FIRST LAUNCH OF THE PROGRAM... CAT TELLS ME THEY PROVIDED OVER 3- THOUSAND TRIPS. AND THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.. STUDENTS WERE STILL PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM ONE OF THE REASONS THE PROGRAM WAS CREATED TO ELIMINATE FINANCIAL BARRIERS THAT DISCOURAGES STUDENTS FROM UTILIZING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. . AND IT HAS BEEN DOING JUST THAT. MARY MOSKOWITZ- CHIEF OF PLANNING AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT FOR CHATHAM AREA TRANSIT "PEOPLE ENJOY THE PROGRAM. STUDENTS ENJOY HAVING THE FREEDOM NOT TO RELY ON THEIR PARENTS, BUT TO BE ABLE TO GO WHERE THEY WANT TO GO. AND THEN PARENTS LIKE THE ABILITY NOT TO HAVE TO DRIVE THEIR KIDS EVERYWHERE." VO: I DID ASK IF THIS PROGRAM WOULD CONTINUE NEXT YEAR.. AND MOSKOWITZ (MAH- SQUITZ) TELLS ME THEY AREN'T SURE YET.. SINCE THIS IS A PILOT PROGRAM. LL OUTRO: