"Tech Company's Repeated Issues: Kentucky School Bus Problems Echo Troubles in Ohio"
AlphaRoute, the bus-routing vendor behind the disastrous change to school bus routes in Louisville, Kentucky, had similar problems in two cities in Ohio last year. The company, which uses mathematical models and machine-learning technology, faced issues with software adjustments and dissatisfaction with results in Columbus and Cincinnati. Several other districts listed as partners on AlphaRoute's website said they either no longer worked with the company or never were its customers. The transportation changes recommended by AlphaRoute for Jefferson County Public Schools in Kentucky resulted in canceled classes, angry parents, and a call to explore splitting up the state's largest school district. The use of artificial intelligence technology in bus routing highlights the potential for algorithmic biases and the need for human oversight.