In Castle Rock, Colorado, a school bus driver faced a significant incident on Monday afternoon. Douglas County school bus driver Irving Johnson recounted the event, stating that he was covering an unfamiliar route and mistakenly dropped off 40 children at the wrong stop. He acknowledged that he "could have done better" and emphasized his efforts to handle the challenging situation.

Unfortunate Incident Highlights School Bus Route Challenges

Driver's Background and Love for the Job

Johnson has been a bus driver with the Douglas County School District (DCSD) for the last seven years. He revealed that he listens to classical music all the time and finds great joy in the sound of children on the bus. "It's just wonderful," he said.

His dedication to his job is evident, as he strives to ensure the safety and well-being of the students during their rides. However, this particular incident brought to light some of the difficulties he faced while on an unfamiliar route.

The Incident on the Bus

Johnson described the chaos that ensued when the children got on the bus. "They got on the bus, and they were in an uproar. They were all over the seats. They’re not supposed to stand on the seats. They were all over the seats, standing on them, up on the rack, doing pull-ups on the overhead luggage rack." He faced the challenge of getting the children to calm down and sit properly.

As he began driving, the DCSD tablet that provides directions started malfunctioning. Johnson, who was driving the route for the first time in that direction, relied on the tablet. "It was dusk. Little harder to read the street signs… I knew we had turned prematurely," he explained. This led to the bus ending up at the wrong stop.

Children's Actions and the Aftermath

When the bus reached the third location, which was not the correct stop, all 40 children lined up to exit. Johnson was alarmed but was focused on logging which children departed the bus electronically, as required.

He emphasized that he doesn't know the children's names or the stops they get off at, making the situation even more challenging. Johnson recognized that he could have handled the situation better and expressed his surprise at the events that unfolded. "This has never happened before. I’ve never, ever, had kids pile out of the bus and get off at a stop."

Consequences and Perspectives

The district called Johnson and informed him that he was no longer employed. He chose to resign rather than be fired. Johnson believes that the tablet system used by bus drivers in the school district contributed to the incident.

"The district decided to change to a different tablet and system about two months ago. And within a short period of time, as they were making adjustments to things, the tablets began to malfunction. If the tablet had worked as it should have, I would have taken the correct route and come down to that stop," he said.

In the email sent to parents, it was stated that the driver should have notified DCSD transportation dispatch when the incident occurred and did not follow protocol. The video of what happened on the bus will not be released at this time as the incident is being investigated by the Castle Rock Police Department.