Rochester, N.Y. – After complaints of large crowds of loitering teenagers and fights among students, the Rochester City School District is changing bus routes.
A letter posted on the district’s website details the changes, which require most students to take express buses to school that bypass downtown transfer points.
The mayor said last week he requested the change after 13WHAM News showed video of police officers pepper-spraying students to get them moving along. The police chief said he was investigating the incident, but the mayor, chief and school superintendent said the larger issue was student behavior and too many children congregating downtown at once.
There have been issues with students hanging out on Main Street for several years. Changes had already been made to afternoon buses, but the problems shifted to the mornings this school year.
The bus pass change goes into effect November 13.
