Bus driver shortage in Homer Glen leaves students waiting, district scrambles for solutions

One school district is dealing with no bus drivers and a lot of waiting.

Now, the superintendent is in overdrive to address the bus shortage.

If the situation gets any worse, it would mean that students would miss a portion of their school day. 

The backstory:

Just last week, 18 bus drivers were absent. 

Many of them were on medical leave, and others were on sick leave. There are also seven job vacancies right now.

What that ultimately means, is that 10 workers from other areas had to get behind the wheel. That included retired drivers, mechanics, and dispatchers who had to step up.

With the school year in full swing, families are now left wondering: will their child’s bus arrive on time tomorrow?

"I think it's a little bit inconvenient, especially in the winter because it's so cold outside," said parent Kristin Lysy.

When the 18 drivers were out, some students were left waiting at school until a bus could return for a second round of pickups. 

The problem isn’t just about getting kids home. Morning pickups are also at risk, meaning some students may not make it to school on time.

With nearly 100% of the district’s 3,700 students relying on bus transportation, Superintendent Craig Schoppe said they’re doing everything they can to keep the situation from spiraling. 

"It could possibly mean doubling up on more routes. Having to keep kids at school in the afternoon, and we hope this would never be the case, but in the mornings, texting parents very early in the morning and letting them know, hey our routes are going to be running late, as were short on drivers," said Schoppe. 

What's next:

Officials in Homer Community Consolidated School District 33C are asking parents to help recruit drivers as they scramble to fill the critical staffing gap.

Seven bus driver positions are open, pay is $23/hour, and drivers will work up to five hours per day.

There’s paid training and benefits.

You can apply online at homerschools.org.

The Source: Information from this article came from parents of Homer Community Consolidated School District 33C and Superintendent Craig Schoppe.

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