School bus driver shortage leads to more parents driving children to school

POTTSTOWN, Pa. - The Pennsylvania School Bus Association says the school bus driver shortage that many districts have been dealing with since the pandemic is slightly improving, but there is still a lot of work to be done.

Executive Director Gerry Wosewick says at the start of the school year they had a shortage of about 3,500 drivers, but that number has slightly improved. In some cases, it created longer bus rides for students, and as a result, more parents and guardians driving their children to and from school.

"We have to double and sometimes triple stack these routes, so these kids are spending more time on the bus, less time getting rest, less time getting their homework done," he said. 

At Owen J Middle School and High School, drop-offs in the morning can take close to a half hour, even with police and guards keeping traffic organized and flowing as best as possible.

Fortunately, the district says it is now fully staffed with bus drivers and buses, but with the district covering 100 square miles, there are ongoing challenges.

"We put some things into place that would add the number of buses so that we could work on that, even if you can shave five or ten minutes off of a bus ride, if you can multiply that by two times a day, it’s going to be an improvement for families and for our district," said Jackie Krumrine, Chief Financial Officer.

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Grandmother of a middle school student, Kim Offner, said she was only picking her granddaughter up because she had a foot injury that makes it difficult to take the bus.

"This is just chaos," she said. "Transportation is provided so they need to ride the bus. Buses are half full, from my understanding, so it’s kind of a waste, you know? They have longer rides because they don’t have enough drivers, but they’re only half full, so it doesn’t make a lot of sense."

The district says the school board is continuing to have ongoing discussion and considerations about transportation, including a plan that would move their administration building and open more space for traffic to flow.

While some parents are now in a routine of dropping off and picking up their students from school regardless of the improvements, Wosewick is encouraging parents and guardians that do not have to do so, to take advantage of the school bus.

"The school bus remains the safest way for a student to get to school," said the Executive Director.

For more information on school bus openings, visit: https://youbehindthewheel.com/