New bus routes a big headache for parents - KTTC Rochester, Austin, Mason City News, Weather and Sports

CRESCO, Iowa (KTTC) -- New bus routes are proving to be a big headache for many parents and students living in two north Iowa counties.

The Howard-Winneshiek Community School District is cancelling all of its bus routes on dirt or gravel roads because of muddy and slippery conditions.

Now parents are being told they'll have to drive their children to the nearest bus stop on a paved road. For many families, that's several miles.

On Sunday at 1 p.m., Howard Winneshiek Community School District issued the cancellation until road conditions improve. School officials say it could take several weeks.

Some parents work and say they're unable to drive their kids to school.

School officials say they're doing it for safety reasons- especially after one bus got stuck in the mud and slid backwards down a hill.

Superintedent John Carver says he used to be a bus driver. He also issued rural bus route cancellations while he was superintendent of a different district. He says he understands the dangers.

Howard County Engineer Nick Rissman says they'll do all they can to keep the rural roads safe, but added that it's too expensive to pave new roads.

It costs up to $450,000 dollars to pave a non-graded road and the county says it just doesn't have the funds.