As of December 7, 2023, PSD has not canceled any bus routes. We expect we may need to cancel some routes temporarily after winter break, because of driver illness, a lack of substitute bus drivers, and upcoming driver retirements/resignations. We are trying to maintain equity by not impacting the same students daily. We are committed to running as many bus routes as possible, while keeping student health and safety as the first priority.
PSD is one of the last districts in our area to consider route cancellations. Almost all schools in the nation are facing the same bus driver shortage. Please help spread the word about our urgent need for additional full and part-time drivers! See below for FAQs about impacts of the bus driver shortage.
Q: Why might some bus routes be temporarily canceled?
A: We have a bus driver shortage because of driver illness, a lack of substitute bus drivers, and upcoming driver retirements/resignations.
Q: If my route is canceled, is my student excused if they are late or cannot get to school?
A: If your student is late or misses class, this will be considered an excused tardy/absence.
Q: If my route is canceled, is it for morning and afternoon?
A: If your route is canceled, no student pick-ups will be available in both the A.M. and P.M. Families impacted should plan alternate transportation for their students.
Q: How many drivers do we have and need?
A: We have 62 bus drivers, we anticipate having 4-5 that are resigning or retiring at the end of 2023. We need to recruit 5 new drivers and are always looking for substitutes as we only have 8 substitutes who are available for varying shifts.
Q: What has the district tried to do to recruit drivers?
A: We have attended local job fairs, online job recruitment, we have placed banners and yard signs throughout the community stating our need for drivers, and sent notifications home from schools with students.
Q: How can I become a bus driver or substitute bus driver?
A: We offer paid training for bus drivers and substitute bus drivers. To become a bus driver, you need to obtain a commercial drivers license, a school bus authorization through the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, complete 40 hours of classroom time and be trained behind the wheel, which is approximately 30 additional hours. Drivers also undergo a background check, drug test and must have a clean driving record. It takes about 8 weeks to train and test to become a school bus driver. The training is the same for substitute drivers as it is for daily drivers. Please view the job postings for bus driver (fully certified driver) and bus driver trainee (new driver) here.
Q: What about special needs routes?
A: Special needs routes will not be canceled, as their routes are federally mandated.
Q: Will cancellations more greatly affect the Key Peninsula or more rural bus routes?
A: We are trying to maintain equity by not impacting the same students daily. Every student deserves to be in school daily and we will do our best to ensure that one area is not impacted more than another.
Q: What other options have been considered?
A: We have consolidated routes to avoid cancellations in the past and we also contract with outside transportation vendors for some of our transportation needs.
Q: Can office staff help with driver shortages?
A: All transportation office staff are fully trained school bus drivers and are on the road almost daily at this point, leaving their daily duties uncovered.
Q: Why did you send an email on Dec. 5 if this will not impact families until after winter break?
A: Our hope is to continue to be able to cover routes on a daily basis, however, we felt the need to be proactive and communicate with families so that they were aware of the real potential of the cancellations and what to expect regarding future communication should the cancellations occur. Much like inclement weather, our families deserve prior communication so that they can create alternate transportation plans if necessary.
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