Bus changes mean longer walks for some Gwinnett students

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Some students that catch the school bus in Gwinnett County are embarking on a much longer walk to their bus stop.
 
Some of the loudest complaints have come from parents at Lilburn Middle School. They say their kids are being put at risk.
 
After decades of stopping at the same spot on Gregg Drive, the school bus now stops at the other end of the street. It's a slight change, but a big deal for one grandfather.
 
"With the pedophiles and the abductions Gwinnett County has had this year, four so far, it's just unsafe for a child to have to walk that distance," Gary Bowen said.
 
Bowen's elementary and middle school aged grandsons must now walk up a hill and out of sight of their home.
 
"Is five minutes cutting a bus route worth the safety of a child?" Bowen asked.
 
Changes across the Gwinnett County School District went into effect Tuesday morning. The district said it's making the changes now, so parents can get used to the new stops before school begins again in the fall.
 
"The reason behind the changes is student growth and we need to serve those additional new students," Jorge Quintana of the school district said.
 
"I'm hoping they reexamine it and they can move it back where it was," Bowen said.
 
Parents can lodge complaints with the transportation supervisor in their area.