"There's no doubt it's a national problem, similar to what we see in service industries as well," Curt Macysyn, executive director for the National School Transportation Association, which represents private school bus contractors, told ABC News. Schools across the country - from Pennsylvania to Virginia to Missouri to Ohio to Texas - have reported similar shortages. "COVID just completely exacerbated the bus driver shortage." School bus driver Valerie Evans waves to students after dropping them off near their homes in Antioch. ![]() Driving a school bus is not easy and can be dangerous. The shortage puts additional pressure on existing drivers and route scheduling. There are varying reasons for the shortage, but the effects are clear. We have everything that we need except the critical resource - bus drivers," Abbott said. School bus driver shortage is an ongoing challenge that districts repeatedly face before, during and throughout each school year. (WTVF) Principal Emily Clark of Norman Smith Elementary School in Clarksville has taken her dedication to her students to another level. "We have the money, we have the buses, we have the parts. As a result, the district has had to prioritize routes for around 20,000 students who are returning fully in person, leaving about 5,000 kids without the option of riding a school bus. Nashville teachers, school support staff and bus drivers are speaking out about unsafe working conditions and widespread burnout amid ongoing staffing shortages. 'When a lot of states' DMV agencies were closed, we weren't filling the funnel with new drivers. With DMV offices closed or offering limited hours during the pandemic, that also may have prevented people from getting or maintaining their CDL, Macysyn said. This year, he said the school district was down over 30% - more than 110 drivers - as it was gearing up for the return of students last week. The average hourly wage nationwide for a school bus driver is 17, according to. ![]() They work split shifts, often beginning their day at 6 a.m. Before the pandemic, Savannah-Chatham County Public School System in Georgia had been down 10% from what it needed, which is manageable, Paul Abbott, executive director for transportation for the district, told ABC News. MNPS school bus drivers pay starts at 16 per hour and tops out at 22 per hour. This option could be attractive to someone who doesn’t want to drive every day.At the start of the school year, it's not uncommon for school districts to be short bus drivers. There have been some concerns from some of our more senior drivers to perhaps retire early, understandably so,” explained district spokesperson Bart Barker.īut Wilson County deals with a shortage almost every year as some drivers just move on.Ĭurrently, the district has about 140 drivers and wants to hire at least 12 more drivers, including substitutes. “There has been a slight uptick in resignations and retirements throughout the summer and it would be easy, quick to blame COVID for those resignations and retirements and that’s not necessarily the case. Arizona is a prime example of just how grossly understaffed school districts and charter schools across the nation are when it comes to bus drivers, Kerr said. Some drivers are older and they decided to retire early due to COVID-19. Before the pandemic, Savannah-Chatham County Public School System in Georgia had been down 10 from. COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on the extended hiring of bus driversbut thats not the only issue causing. While the pandemic may play a role for some drivers leaving their jobs, Wilson County leaders say it’s not the only reason. The nationwide need for school bus drivers is expected to remain at critical levels over the coming months, with impacts to the industry’s ability to provide consistent service stretching. At the start of the school year, its not uncommon for school districts to be short bus drivers. A school bus driver shortage is affecting the country as the 2021-2022 school year begins. However, many drivers have left their jobs during the pandemic and now some districts are facing a driver shortage. ( WATE) Residents in Monroe County are calling their current school bus situation a crisis as the county’s number of bus. ![]() (WKRN) - Once it’s safe for kids to go back to school, they’ll need a bus driver to get them there.
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