![]() 11 and said they've brought on everyone who can drive a bus, including transportation employees who have a commercial driver's license, to help cover bus routes. NBC 5 reached out to several other North Texas school districts about their experience.įorney ISD went back to class on on Aug. Plano ISD is posting bus route updates for parents on a special page on the district's website. It's been tough the past couple of years for education and the workforce altogether,” Plano ISD superintendent Theresa Williams told NBC 5 on the district’s first day of school on Wednesday. "I think that's been one of the challenges. It specifically cited a critical shortage of bus drivers happening nationwide. Plano ISD posted this message on its website, warning parents of significant delays across several morning and afternoon bus routes this week. ![]() "Please be aware that your student could be waiting at school for up to an hour or more to be transported home in the afternoons," the statement warns. The district is asking that parents ensure students arrive at the bus stop 10 minutes before the scheduled pick-up time each morning and to consider planning out alternative transportation options. "Due to this situation, some of our routes will be running longer than usual the first few weeks of school and perhaps longer." "Irving ISD and several other school districts in our area are experiencing a shortage of bus drivers due to a nationwide labor shortage," the statement reads. According to a Ridgefield School District spokesperson, the health and safety protocols will be the same for all drivers employed by KWRL Transportation, regardless of vaccination status.Please see the attachment below for an important message regarding bus transportation. Thank you, and remain #RidgefieldResilient.Įditor’s note: Bus drivers in the KWRL Transportation Co-op are included in Governor Jay Inslee’s mandate requiring state and school employees to either be vaccinated or receive an approved exemption. Please visit and look for the “Employment Opportunities” section for links to apply for open positions. With pay starting at $23.37 per hour at KWRL, paid CDL training, and eligibility for public employee benefits, many aspects make this a rewarding job. School district transportation departments are rolling out robust bonuses and hiring incentives. This is a best practice for drivers and helps them develop positive and respectful relationships with individual students. Finally, when we can employ a fully-staffedĭriver team, we operate more balanced routes, allowing drivers to effectively manage student conduct and foster an improved bus climate and culture. We want to be able to provide transportation services to those events. For many of us, the times spent competing against other schools are some of our fondest memories. Athletic and extracurricular activities are a vital part of the educational experience. This encourages more families to choose bus transportation, which aids in decreasing traffic congestion. Having sufficient drivers to operate all our routes shortens distances and times students spend on the buses. How so? Let’s start with the most important aspect, student safety! According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, students are nearly 70 times more likely to arrive safely on a school bus than traveling by car. These vital team members are responsible for getting students to and from school safely each day, and they have a real impact on student’s lives and the greater community. Drivers are the first school employees students see in the morning and the last they see each afternoon or evening. School bus drivers are more than employees they’re ambassadors for the school district. We find that serving students and helping them get to school safely and on time each day is a tremendously rewarding way to earn a living and a genuine service to the community. If you are looking for work or are considering changing careers, we encourage you to apply to be a school bus driver. Even though we are not alone in solving this problem, we are still asking for your help. ![]() The driver shortage is nationwide and affects trucking companies and public transportation, as well as school buses. And we know that we are far from alone in these challenges. We know everyone - parents, teachers, volunteers, and the general public - are spread thin right now. Unfortunately, it is both unsustainable and insufficient to meet demand.
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