CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — Union-Scioto Local School District will consolidate five bus routes starting Monday as it grapples with an ongoing shortage of drivers, Superintendent Matt Thornsberry said in a phone-and-text alert to families Saturday.
Routes for buses No. 1, No. 3, No. 4, No. 21 and No. 27 will be merged beginning Aug. 31, according to the district. All but bus No. 27 will pick up additional students from other routes, a change that will shift pickup and drop-off times for some families.
The district said its transportation department spent the past several days, including Saturday, trying to reach every family whose route will change, but some could not be contacted because the district lacks current phone numbers or contact information on file. Officials said the first few days of the new routes could bring some disruption.
“Our Transportation Department has been actively working on solutions to improve transportation services amid the ongoing driver shortage,” the district said in the alert.
The shortage has left the department “operating with extremely limited staffing,” according to the district, with its transportation supervisor and bus mechanic both driving routes to help get students to and from school. The district said it currently has no substitute bus drivers available to cover unexpected absences, which has led to last-minute route changes and “double routing,” in which one driver covers more than one route back to back.
District officials said the consolidation is not expected to eliminate double routing entirely but should significantly reduce how often it is needed, as long as current drivers remain available. The district said it cannot always predict driver absences far enough in advance to notify families sooner than it already does.
Union-Scioto is asking residents interested in becoming a full-time or substitute bus driver to contact Transportation Director Mr. Ost about requirements and qualifications, saying even a few additional drivers would make a significant difference.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Union-Scioto Local School District.
