![]() "There's a segment that just love doing what they do. In the meantime, Macysyn says, schools and private school-bus contractors will continue to try to recruit drivers who are civic minded and appreciate the part-time hours and spending time with children. Macysyn says that while measures such as distancing and opening windows seem to be pretty effective, "we certainly understand if folks have those concerns," especially if they have risk factors.Ĭhicago's mayor, Lori Lightfoot, is reportedly talking to ride-share companies like Lyft or Uber, or even paying parents to drive their own children to school. School buses are full of children, and children under 12 can't yet be vaccinated against COVID-19. Richland, WA School District and bus driver are sued after a Chief Joseph Middle School student was hit by a pickup truck near bus stop last year. A second factor in the shortage, Macysyn pointed out, is that in many places over the past year and a half, departments of motor vehicles were closed or had limited operations, so people couldn't get their road tests or update their qualifications.Ī third concern cited was safety. ( reports the median school bus driver earns $35,421 per year, which varies by region.)īrand-new bus drivers can't be hired on the spot like retail or fast-food workers they need commercial driver's licenses. Respondents to the survey were most likely to say that the pay they were able to offer was a major factor affecting their ability to recruit drivers. Many drivers were furloughed during the COVID-19 school closures in 2020, while others took the chance to retire. He says there are many reasons for the shortage. "In previous years, we've seen regionalized driver shortages, but nothing to the extent that we're seeing today." "This back-to-school period is nothing like the previous periods we've seen," he told NPR. The move left some 2,100 students, a little less than half of them in special education, without a way to get to school.Īnd in Pittsburgh, the public schools notified families that they are short almost 650 bus seats for the first day of school on Friday.Ĭurt Macysyn is executive director of the National School Transportation Association, which conducted the survey with two other trade associations. In Chicago this week, 70 bus drivers, about 10% of the workforce, abruptly quit over the district's new COVID-19 vaccine mandate, according to WBEZ's Sarah Karp. In a new nationwide survey, half of student-transportation coordinators described their school bus driver shortages as either "severe" or "desperate." That’s what transportation officials in Richland. Washington state driver stabbed, killed on school bus with. Crisis in the classroom: parents told to expect delays due to bus driver shortage RICHLAND COUNTY, S. Must be 21 years of age, have a valid drivers license, and 3 years driving experience. Now, in many places, there is a last-mile problem - quite literally. The Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business first reported the news of the massive projects in. 27.10 - 30.75 Per Hour (Glassdoor est.) Easy Apply. So far this fall, children heading back to school have faced many obstacles: battles over masks, vaccines, delta-variant surge fears and mental health needs. They’re offering incentives like higher salaries and signing bonuses, but it’s unlikely all the needed positions will be filled in time.In a new nationwide survey, half of student-transportation coordinators described school bus driver shortages as either "severe" or "desperate." Local bus companies are trying to get more people behind the wheel. We appreciate the understanding and flexibility of our families,” said chief academic officer Minika Jenkins. We understand and appreciate the frustration. “We are going to continue to work as much as possible. New drivers with additional credentials can earn up to 3,000. Some parents told Channel 11 they feel the district is once again failing their kids. New drivers with experience and a commercial driver’s license (CDL) can earn up to 2,250. Roughly 2,600 students won’t have a bus and some parents are being asked to provide their own transportation.ĭistrict officials said they’re facing a daily seat shortage of 1,300. ![]() Officials said they need 200 more bus drivers by early May and 350 more by next fall to be able to get everyone to school on time. Other students are being asked to stay home and continue learning remotely for the rest of the school year. With simply not enough buses and drivers to get all kids in the Pittsburgh Public Schools to and from buildings, district officials said some will be given Port Authority vouchers. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |