WESTBROOK (WGME) – They’re vital to getting kids to school, but a shortage of bus drivers has left families and districts scrambling in recent years.
For many students, classes begin in just a few weeks, and some districts are still hoping to fill those spots.
There are currently vacancies for bus drivers in Westbrook.
“Some of the positions have been open for some time, not just for the summer months,” said Peter Lancia, superintendent of the Westbrook School Board.
According to Lancia, people can start as van drivers, which does not require a special driving license, while also learning about possible next steps.
“So if they’ve never driven a school bus before or are studying for their CDL license, we hire them and train them,” Lancia said.
Other districts do this too.
In western Maine, MSAD 72 was successful in providing premiums and paid health insurance.
“We have made three or four new hires, which will give us a surplus of drivers,” said MSAD 72 Superintendent Jay Robinson.
MSAD 6, the Bonny Eagle school district, is also currently in a good position.
“We cover all of our routes. We can always use backups,” said MSAD 6 Superintendent Clay Gleason.
The search for additional bus drivers never really ends for school districts, as circumstances can change quickly.
“When a driver calls in sick and you don’t have a replacement, it really puts families in a difficult position,” Robinson said.
“We have never had to cancel a route in the past,” said Lancia.
Lancia says that in some cases doubling may be necessary.
“A bus goes to a neighborhood, takes a group of children to school, and then goes back to pick up another group of children to school,” Lancia said.
This could lead to arrivals, but that is exactly what they would do: they would adjust routes when a driver is absent or they cannot fill a position.
CBS13 reporter Mal Meyer: “But do you have to rely on those contingency plans at this point or not?”
Lancia: “We are still checking routes.”
The Westbrook School Board expects to announce these early next week so families can begin planning.
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