Panic set in for some parents and students Tuesday when a substitute driver on a Wake County school bus route pulled over while taking children home.
Wake County school officials said the substitute driver on Middle Creek Elementary School’s Route 4 had trouble navigating the route and stopped to confirm directions. Students on board said the driver had missed several stops.
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Some parents noticed through the Here Comes the Bus app that the bus had stopped and went to pick up their children. Parents said the driver refused to turn around, prompting at least one child to call his family.
Police responded, and a parent said all students were accounted for. Some students were taken back to the school to be picked up by their families.
The school apologized for the delay in an email to parents on Tuesday.
WRAL contacted the Wake County school board with questions about district protocol and whether the driver or any parents involved could face consequences.
“While I’m limited in what I can share, our protocol is that when a driver experiences uncertainty about a route, they pull over in a safe place and contact a supervisor,” Middle Creek Principal Sarah Stevens said. “It is also standard to provide additional training for drivers as needed.”
The school said it is reviewing the incident to determine next steps.
Holly Springs police are also investigating.