BY SANDI CARPELLO
Correspondent
EATONTOWN — On its web site, Laidlaw Transit Inc. describes itself as a group of "caring people," who take pride in providing their passengers with "safe and quality services."
The 80-year old bus company is not without some dark spots on its track record though.
In November 2002, a parent filed suit against the bus company, alleging that a Laidlaw bus driver did nothing to protect a first-grade student who suffered head and neck injuries at the hands of aggressive older students.
In September of the same year, the Palm Beach Post in Florida reported that a Laidlaw Transit bus driver allegedly fondled a 9-year old mentally challenged student. The driver is currently in jail after pleading guilty to felony sex abuse in a separate case. And in 2000, a Hartford Connecticut school district cited the bus company for "poor service," alleging that Laidlaw drivers were repeatedly late, did not pick up athletes after games, and were not dropping kids off at the right place, according to a report provided by the American Federation of Teachers.
Faulty brakes, accidents and forgetting to pick up students for school also are on the roster of complaints filed against the company over the years.
Eatontown district bus driver David Parreot, a former army vehicle mechanic who has driven for several private bus companies in the past, said he was once pressured to drive a bus with several engine and transmission problems. "I’ve driven for contractors also and I’ve refused to take unsafe buses out. . .I would never put my kids in the line of fire."
But despite the complaints, Board of Education President Pamela Clarke and District Superintendent Jean Hoover said neighboring school districts who use Laidlaw Transit gave the private bus company rave reviews.
"Neptune gave them an 8 out of 10," Hoover said. "Tinton Falls said they are ‘easy to work with, no lost children.’"
In a 7-2 vote, the Board of Education last week voted to do away with its own public bus service and replace it with Laidlaw.
Board of Education Member Charles Skip Fischer, one of two board members to vote against the district’s proposal, said the board was negligent in their decision making process.
"The process has been a joke. It’s been very unprofessional," he said. "To vote one day after receiving the bids, without looking into the safety records is really irresponsible."

