At their meeting Tuesday, Penn Hills school board members commended administrators, parents and students for a smooth opening of the school year in light of changes in elementary school assignments and the bus transportation policy.

But the opening was not without glitches, noted Acting Superintendent Joseph Carroll. "There was some trial and error, but generally it was successful."

He reported that the district had assigned 26 students to the wrong elementary school. As a result, those youngsters attended one school for two or three days, then had to move.

A traffic problem arose at Penn Hebron, which serves students in grades four and five, with a large number of children arriving by car and with late buses, said district spokeswoman Teresita Kolenchak. The car-congestion problem was resolved by establishing an additional exit for cars.

A number of transportation concerns contributed to a slowdown in processing new student registrations, especially those that came in right before school began. The district extended its office hours last week to handle new registrations. All new students are expected to be in class by tomorrow.

Enrollment as of Aug. 27 was 4,922, which Ms. Kolenchak said was near the number expected. Enrollment this past school year was 5,175. The district transports more than 6,000 students, including those who attend charter and private schools.

Most concerns called in to the district have involved transportation, Ms. Kolenchak said. Most common were complaints about late buses at Penn Hebron, new limits on day-care transportation and long bus rides for students in the kindergarten through grade three schools.

Problems with late buses and long rides are related to the attempt to use older elementary students as bus safety patrols for younger students. That policy is being evaluated, Ms. Kolenchak said.

Several parents and grandparents at the meeting talked about transportation concerns.

Tawnya Burke, a parent of two at Propel East Charter School, asked the board to consider adding pupils at the school to its list of those who are eligible for day-care transportation anywhere within the district. The district provides such transportation for Penn Hebron and Linton students because those schools draw pupils from all over the district.

Ms. Burke said the district's bus for Propel East transports 42 students and travels all over the district.

Others who spoke at the meeting expressed concern about safety at certain bus stops. Richard Liberto, district business manager, said the district reduced the number of crossing guards from 88 last year to 71 this year, based on input from police.

Transportation Director John Plazarin said he is evaluating every stop that is reported as a safety concern and encouraged community members to call the district hotline to report problems. The number is 412-793-7000, ext. 216.

Madeline McCaskill, owner of Ms. M's Happy Tots Day Care and Learning Center on Verona Road, told the board that the new limits on day-care transportation put her business in a bind. To cope, she bought a van to transport 10 to 12 students to and from their bus stops.

"I had to do it to save my business," she said.

Only five of her current 15 students in before- and after-school care are eligible for transportation to and from the center, which is in the Forbes Elementary attendance area, she said. She added that she lost seven potential enrollees this school year because of the district policy.

The center's fee for before- and after-school care is $75 per week. The cost of gasoline for transporting the students is about $80 per week.

LaKeisha Barker, whose school-age daughter attends Ms. McCaskill's day care center, asked the board to understand the stress created by the new transportation policy and the need for increased safety at her child's bus stop.

"Day care is not a luxury. I am a working parent, and this is making me insane."

John Kell, grandparent of a Forbes student, told the board that the girl lives five minutes from the school but comes home 55 minutes after boarding the bus.

School officials pleaded for families' continued patience while the kinks are worked out of the transportation system.

"It's just the first week," board member Carolyn Faggioli said.