A Connecticut mother is demanding an apology and an investigation after a route mix-up led a school bus driver to take her autistic son over 40 miles in the wrong direction during the first week of school.
"I was worried, very worried when he didn't come home when he was supposed to," Somers McCray told "Fox & Friends First" on Thursday.
Her son didn't arrive home on time as expected, prompting McCray to call the bus company, First Student.
"They said they had to reach the driver, and I was put on hold," she recalled.
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Connecticut mom Somers McCray (right) complained after her son was sent over 40 miles in the opposite direction of home during the first week of school. (Courtesy: Fox & Friends First)
McCray said the person she spoke with asked her to provide her phone number for a callback.
"I was just confused because why would you need my phone number to call me back if you have a GPS tracker on the vehicle, and you are supposed to be able to contact them?"
McCray provided her number, but she eventually called the company again before they made contact.
She learned the bus’s GPS tracking system had failed.
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This graphic shows the distance Somers McCray's son was taken to Danbury instead of his home in New Britain. (Courtesy: Fox & Friends First)
Panicked, she turned to her son’s iPhone location data and discovered him in Danbury, more than 40 miles from their home in New Britain.
After getting police involved, a meet-up spot between McCray and the bus was arranged at a local 7-Eleven.
Despite the company’s explanation, McCray believes the situation "doesn’t add up."
"That's why I'm asking for an investigation, because I would like to know — where did everything go wrong?"
First Student later issued a statement, apologizing for the issue:
"We sincerely apologize for the frustration and inconvenience many families have experienced with student transportation during the first days of this school year.
"First Student is committed to taking corrective action to stabilize operations and deliver consistent, dependable service. Like many transportation providers, we're experiencing challenges with timely bus deliveries and driver availabilities."
The Consolidated School District of New Britain is now providing alternative transportation for McCray's son that is not operated by First Student, according to a local report.