KCSD and Susquehanna Transit struggle to find bus drivers
By Christopher Miller
BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP – Keystone Central School District and Transportation Supervisor Shelly Ott are pleading to the local community for school bus drivers.
“If you know someone who can drive and is interested in picking up some part-time work helping out in any way, please reach out to us,” Superintendent Dr. Frank Redmon said. “We have been struggling to keep our routes as short as we can, but we need drivers. This is something that Shelly Ott and I talk a lot about the issues of having no drivers and Susquehanna is working as hard as they can to find drivers.”
Ott, who was in attendance and spoke to the school board, provided details on the statewide shortage of bus drivers.
“As I am sure all of you are aware, this is across the state and all school districts are struggling to fill positions,” Ott said. “We are the largest school district, geographically, in the state covering 900 square miles, three counties, and transporting students from public, private, one charter, 15 Amish schools, and six schools outside of the district.”
In total, it takes about 12 months to hire a school bus driver who does not currently have a CDL license.
From a handout in the agenda packet found online, it takes between 10 and 12 weeks, or about three months, to fully hire and license a school bus driver from the initial interview to the CDL license.
“Some districts are considering expanding the walking radius for their students who live nearby the schools,” Ott said. “I am hoping that it does not come to that, but if we don’t get bus drivers, that is what will happen if not this school year, then next school year could look very, very different.”
School board member Elisabeth Lynch spoke briefly on the issue.
Woodward Elementary and Central Mountain Middle School were pinpointed as trouble spots with “traffic problems and lines” within the district.
“It is causing stress on our families quite honestly because the students are on the bus longer since we have to combine routes with this driver shortage, but a lot of our parents are also not putting their kids on the bus,” Redmon said. “We are also having more traffic problems with lines especially with Woodward Elementary and Central Mountain Middle School with parents picking up and dropping off kids since we don’t have enough bus routes.”
Taken from the Susquehanna Trailways website, job opportunities are available for School Bus Drivers. For more information, please call 570-753-5125 during regular office hours of Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
