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Schenectady High School is changing its bus schedule to improve entry times amid new security measures. Starting Monday (January 27), students taking the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) red, purple, and green lines will be picked up 10 minutes earlier. This adjustment aims to have buses arrive by 8 a.m., helping to stagger student arrivals and ease congestion at the school's entrances. The change comes after the installation of a new weapons detection system, which initially caused long lines and delays.
The system, implemented on January 6, requires students to pass their backpacks through an AI-assisted X-ray scanner and walk through a metal detection tower. According to the Daily Gazette, Superintendent Carlos Cotto Jr. expressed gratitude to CDTA for accommodating the schedule change, noting that it should help reduce wait times.
District Security and Climate Director Jeffrey Russo mentioned that the school has been reviewing video footage daily to identify areas for improvement. CBS6 Albany reported that adjustments, including multiple entry points and lines for students without bags, have already reduced wait times.
Parents initially expressed concerns about students waiting in the cold, but school officials assure that the new schedule will help alleviate these issues. The district will continue to monitor the situation and make further adjustments as needed.