Longer walks. Crowded buses. Late arrivals. Those are just some of the complaints elected officials and school administrators have been fielding from irate Prince George’s County parents since classes began several weeks ago.

The Prince George’s County school system rolled out a transportation policy in August that raised the distance elementary school students walk from one mile to 11 / 2 miles. The result: 1,400 more elementary students who used to take the bus now walk.