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Lolo urges governor to use private buses to transport students
Thursday,
May 1, 2008
The acute shortage of school buses has prompted a suggestion from Senate President Lolo Moliga for the Department of Education to consider using private school buses to transport students to and from school.
Lolo wrote to Governor Togiola Tulafono saying that 12 buses to serve 15,000 school student’s presents a potentially dangerous situation. He said of paramount concern is the safety of school children. He recalls that in the past, private buses have been used to transport school children when there’s a school bus shortage. According to the School Bus Transportation Division about 18 buses are inoperable, awaiting parts. A fire destroyed three school buses last month. Deputy Director of Education Aomalo Manupo Turituri used the DOE weekly television program to apologize to parents for the shortcomings in the school bus service. He said that DOE hopes to have some of the buses operating soon. He said that local companies including Hawthorne and Pacific Products are helping with the supply of parts to repair the buses.
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