Fort Worth ISD

Parents Warned of School Bus Delays as Districts Deal With Ongoing Driver Shortages

The start of the school year has been a struggle for some districts, with delays up to two hours reported in Garland ISD

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The first week of school is always busy, from parents and students getting into a new routine to districts making sure the school bus routes run smoothly.

But staffing shortages and other challenges in transportation are an issue school districts across the entire state are dealing with right now.

The Garland Independent School District, one of the first districts to go back to the classroom in North Texas, was also one of the first to report widespread bus route delays since Monday.

Several North Texas School districts are reporting issues with school bus delays as students get back to school.

Garland ISD has been posting updates all week for parents on its transportation department Twitter page, @gisdbuses. Each day, they've posted about multiple routes with delays, some as long as two hours on Tuesday and an hour on Wednesday and Thursday. The district also tweeted about combining bus routes for several schools.

The district told parents to expect bus delays in the coming days due to staff shortages as they get back on their routine and thanked them for their patience. Further delays were expected on Friday.

Some parents and staff have expressed support for bus drivers who are working to get students to school amid the shortages.

The district is currently offering a $500 sign-on bonus for bus drivers. Click here for more information to apply to drive a bus in GISD.

Garland certainly isn't alone in the dilemma, as school districts across North Texas, the state and the country struggle with staffing shortages for bus drivers and other key transportation positions.

Irving ISD posted a warning on Twitter to parents about potential delays when the district heads back to class on Monday, Aug. 15.

"Irving ISD and several other school districts in our area are experiencing a shortage of bus drivers due to a nationwide labor shortage," the statement reads. "Due to this situation, some of our routes will be running longer than usual the first few weeks of school and perhaps longer."

The district is asking that parents ensure students arrive at the bus stop 10 minutes before the scheduled pick-up time each morning and to consider planning out alternative transportation options.

"Please be aware that your student could be waiting at school for up to an hour or more to be transported home in the afternoons," the statement warns.

Plano ISD posted this message on its website, warning parents of significant delays across several morning and afternoon bus routes this week. It specifically cited a critical shortage of bus drivers happening nationwide.

"I think that's been one of the challenges. It's been tough the past couple of years for education and the workforce altogether,” Plano ISD superintendent Theresa Williams told NBC 5 on the district’s first day of school on Wednesday.

Plano ISD is posting bus route updates for parents on a special page on the district's website.

NBC 5 reached out to several other North Texas school districts about their experience.       

Forney ISD went back to class on on Aug. 11 and said they've brought on everyone who can drive a bus, including transportation employees who have a commercial driver's license, to help cover bus routes.

“Being a fast growth district and the start of a new year with new routines always creates traffic challenges. We’re projected to grow by 2,400 students this year alone. Usually, after the first week or two, everyone settles into their new school routines, and it improves,” said district spokesperson Kristin Zastoupil in an email.

She added they have every available driver ready to roll out, in addition to the help from support staff drivers.

“They do an incredible job making sure we get every bus route out, students safely home, and back in each day. We appreciate our Forney family’s patience as we settle into the new school year,” she said.

Unrelated to driver shortages, Wylie ISD reported issues with its bus route app and website on Thursday for its return to school. Administrators posted a Facebook live answering questions.

Red Oak ISD returns to school on Monday, Aug. 15. A district spokesperson said they are hiring for its last bus driver positions. The district also has plans to utilize other staff such as coaches and administrators with a CDL to assist and assign monitors for the first week until they are no longer needed.

Arlington ISD said the district is all set for the start of school Monday with bus drivers. A district spokesperson said they are short about 45 drivers, but routes will be covered as they continue to hire.

The first week of school will typically cause delays because students, parents and bus drivers are all getting accustomed to new routes but major delays are expected, the district said.

Fort Worth ISD has spoken to NBC 5 about bus drivers shortages last semester, as well as the push to hire more drivers and offer competitive incentives. The district is currently looking for 30 more drivers.

According to a report released last month by TransitCenter, a public transportation advocacy group, drivers across the industry are retiring in large numbers. This has exacerbated the strain from the labor shortage brought about by the pandemic.

The report suggests that the industry needs to cultivate a new generation of drivers in order to fight the shortage.

Bottom line parents in any school district should be prepared for delays and make sure they follow their district's social media pages or website for more details.

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