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MCCSC Blames Bus Delays On Driver Shortage And Increased Ridership

school-bus.jpg

The Monroe County Community School Corporation is blaming school bus delays on a shortage of drivers and more students riding the bus this year. 

“This is something that we are working on,” said MCCSC communication director Kelby Turmail. “We see that there has been some struggles in the first few days, and it is our top priority to get students to and from school safe.”

Turmail said about 2,700 more students are riding the bus this year, but the district is down 14 drivers. Four drivers are in training, and four more are about to begin training. Although that is expected to help some, it still won't get the transportation department to full staffing levels.

Turmail said she did not know the total amount of bus drivers, but office staff and maintance workers filled in during the first few days. 

"I know the first few days since we were short of drivers, we were actually having people from the transportation departmnet that aren't normally bus drivers, were hopping on buses to help with some of those routes," she said. 

As a result of the shortage, parents at Binford Elementary School reported buses not leaving until almost 5 p.m. twice this week, and in some cases students not getting home until 6 p.m. The school day ends at 3:45 p.m.

MCCSC school bus delay
An email sent to Binford Elementary School parents at 4:57 p.m. on August 11, 2021. The MCCSC school day lasts from 9:00 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. for K-6 students.

For other students, only morning buses are delayed.

Pam Thrash’s son is a freshman at Bloomington High School South, and his bus has not been as consistent as it was pre-pandemic. 

“The first day it was early, the second day it was on time, and a couple of days it didn’t show up,” Thrash said.

Thrash said her biggest issue is communication about the delays. Her son stood outside for about 30 minutes before another parent in the neighborhood drove a small group of students to school.

“I understand if there is a shortage- there is a shortage of workers everywhere for everything,” she said. “We understand that but let us know [the] bus isn’t going to be on time, or even if it’s that morning and the driver didn’t show up or something, just let us know. Let us know so we can plan our morning.”

MCCSC is adding options for parents to contact the transportation office. In an email sent to parents Wednesday night the district's superintendent, Jeff Hauswald, said MCCSC has created a new email account to reach the transportation department. He said parents can also continue to use the tip line on the MCCSC website.

"All methods of communication are being monitored regularly and will result in a response by the next school day," Hauswald wrote in the letter. 

Turmail says she is unsure when an app parents can use to track their child's bus called "Here Comes The Bus" will be ready.

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