Is an AI system to blame for JCPS' bus fiasco?
Why was JCPS' bus situation so disastrous?
John Stovall, union president of Local Teamsters 783, attributed it to a system called AlphaRoute.
AlphaRoute is an artificial intelligence system. According to its website, the company is made up of "PhD-level researchers and former public sector executives" who use "MIT-based algorithms to optimize districtwide bus fleets."
JCPS has been using it to generate its stops.
Stovall says to fix this, the district needs to stop using that system, and re-analyze the stops and routes that have buses traveling from one end of town to the other.
"I just don't think running routes everyday will make a difference, the difference is going back to examine the routes, stops, everything else and say why are we going form Blankenbaker road to Cane Run Road for two kids?" Stovall said.
JCPS is not the first district to have issues with the system. The software also contributed to major problems at Columbus City Schools in Ohio last year, and they have fewer students on buses.
AlphaRoute released this statement about the issues around 3 p.m.:
"We know JCPS is working diligently to resolve the issues it experienced yesterday, and at this time it's not yet clear what the root causes were for those issues. But we recognize that the situation was extremely regrettable and likely caused by the significant changes to bus routing which were made necessary by the district's severe driver shortage.
"Combined with the new school assignment model, this is a substantial amount of change, but JCPS has a great team, and we know that their leadership and drivers are still working through it. We are fully confident that the new bell times and the new routes will work as planned, and we will do everything we can to support the district during this process."
Stovall said even though he believes the drivers know their routes, they were only brought in to practice for a total of seven days, and says they should've been brought in months ago.
He also said a dozen bus drivers have either quit or self-demoted to another position following the chaos.
Stovall think the district needs more time to solve this problem, and recommended the district cancel classes next week, as well.
JCPS said they are going to meet with UPS to get logistical help, but it is unclear when that will happen.