Some school districts, such as Westfield, also do not have a significant shortage at this time. “We’re well staffed this year but we could always use some more. “We’re doing well this year, though it was a challenge in the previous year,” Cassadaga Valley Superintendent Chuck Leichner said. We also have a contract that drivers must drive a certain amount of time with us.”Įven in districts that are doing all right with the amount of drivers right now, there is still a need for more. We accept everyone that is licensed and able to drive and we are willing to work with them to get there. I put it out as a standing job post for those who are willing to train. At the moment we have just the amount needed to start the school year. “We’ve been taking proactive measures over the last two or three years to train drivers to keep the roster full. “Randolph Central School, like all other districts, is concerned,” Superintendent Kaine Kelly said. The state is currently waiving the 14-day waiting fee in between taking the written and drivers test for those working to earn their CDL license to help address the shortage.Īt Randolph Central School, the concern about the shortage is high, but the school is willing to work to help those interested to train to fill the spots. A “p” or passenger endorsement is also needed. In order to be a bus driver, one must have a commercial driver’s license with an “s” or school bus endorsement. It can take a lot to train as a bus driver. We are hopeful it will work out, but it’s not an easy fix. We are working to be able to help with training and certification. “We’ve been talking with local people who might have an interest in driving for us. “It’s affecting Panama like most schools,” former Panama Superintendent Bert Lictus said. Locally, at Panama Central School, the shortage is hitting in a similar way to nationwide schools. COVID-19 variants are still around and a school bus is one of the many places where sickness is able to spread the easiest. The shortage is estimated to be caused by many of the same things that have caused the overall labor shortage, such as low pay, stress, and overall pandemic worries. In fact most of the time schools can find themselves slightly short on bus drivers at the very beginning of the year, but nationally it is estimated that districts are 30-50% short on drivers at the moment this year. They are all driving busses any time possible.The bus driver shortage is not something that is new this year, but it is something that has escalated since the beginning of the school year. “We have dispatchers, recruiters, people who typically are directors. Every single person who is qualified to drive a bus, meaning they have their CDL, is behind the wheel,” said Aubrey Chancellor, NEISD spokesperson. Over the summer, we put GPS systems on all of our busses, so now we’re able to give a better, accurate picture of where the bus is when call.”Īcross the city, it’s the same story for North East ISD. “We’re sending out messages as often as we can, but if they have any questions, they can just contact their local station. “Our dispatchers and station managers call out, notifying parents that the bus is running late, whether it’s in the morning or in the afternoon,” said Soliz. Soliz said there are times when buses run late due to heavy traffic or a driver calling out, but they are making every effort to notify parents of a delay. NISD officials said they currently need about 80 more drivers to make up for the bus driver shortage and changed logistics based on the district’s growth. It’s the same thing in the afternoon,” Soliz said. But because there are so many kids living in that neighborhood, and we don’t have enough drivers, the driver drops them off at the school, then goes back to the neighborhood, picks up the second round of kids. The driver will go and pick up their first round of kids in a particular neighborhood. “We have multiple schools that have multiple levels of runs because we don’t have enough drivers to cover. Drivers have been doubling up on some routes to meet the demand, but the district has not had to make significant cuts to the route schedule. NISD services 125 schools and over 500 routes. “Our drivers are working around the clock to try to make ends meet in terms of meeting all the needs of the routes,” said Tesilia Soliz, director of transportation at Northside ISD. SAN ANTONIO – Help is wanted across San Antonio for school bus drivers as a driver shortage leads to longer wait times for kids and bus routes being removed to adjust to the shortfall.
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