5-Year-Old Takes 2-Hour Bus Trip After Driver Fails To Make Scheduled Stops

A mother and father said that their 5-year-old son was taken on a two-hour bus ride after the driver missed his stop and could not be found.

Sarah and Daniel Lutz said that they were forced to get into their cars to track down the bus themselves.

Sarah Lutz said that she went to meet her son Noah at his bus stop after his first day of kindergarten at Brice Christian Academy.

“And that’s when we saw the bus drive by,” Sarah said. “He didn’t even slow down. He just went right by the stop.”

Sarah said that she remained calm and called the school to try to catch up with the bus at its next stop.

“When I started to panic was when the school called me back to say that other parents were calling in from that same route, saying that their children were not showing up,” Sarah said.

Sarah said that she finally found the bus – and her son – two hours later and seven miles from their original bus stop.

She said that she was forced to block the bus with her minivan and then ushered her son, who was tired but unharmed, off the bus.

According to a Columbus City schools spokesperson, the district was aware of the situation and said that the driver failed to make some of his scheduled stops.

A spokesperson said that district officials contacted First student, a charter bus rental company with which the district contracts, to figure out why the incident occurred.

First Student officials said that they provided each driver with a new routing sheet to ensure that drivers know all of the stops on their routes.

The Lutz’ said that their son would not take the bus for the rest of the school year.

“I just don’t think it’s a safe place for my son,” Sarah said.

Watch 10TV News and refresh 10TV.com for more information.