Chapel Hill-Carrboro bus driver shortage means 3 routes canceled on Thursday
Chapel Hill-Carrboro students on three bus routes will need to contact the district transportation office or find another way to school Thursday morning because of driver shortages.
District spokesman Andy Jenks notified parents about the change in an email Wednesday evening, citing COVID-19 protocols and the ongoing bus driver shortage.
Shortly before 9 p.m., the school district said families who still need a bus should call the district’s transportation office beginning at 6:30 a.m. Thursday. The district will arrange to have a bus pick up the student as soon as possible, he said.
“The student will not be considered ‘tardy’ as a result of this,” Jenks said.
CHCCS officials reported 102 COVID cases among students and staff last week as they returned from the holiday break. The report shows there are 161 cases so far this week. Roughly 97% of the district’s 1,900 employees are vaccinated, Jenks said.
The affected bus routes, serving seven schools, are:
▪ Bus 88: Glenwood Elementary, Culbreth Middle, Carrboro High
▪ Bus 103: Carrboro Elementary, McDougle Middle, Carrboro High
▪ Bus 129: Glenwood Elementary, Chapel Hill High School
CHCCS operates 60 regular buses and 14 buses for exceptional children in the morning and afternoon, and has positions for 74 bus drivers, according to its website.
However, because of driver shortages, the district turned to an incentive program late last year offering $16.50 an hour, plus a signing bonus of up to $4,000 and paid training. The district now has around 58 drivers on staff and 25 vacancies, Jenks said.
More routes could be affected if other drivers can’t make it to work Thursday, he said.
“In all, we have 11 buses that either do not have a permanent driver, or are impacted by COVID protocols, and we have exhausted our list of available substitutes and qualified staff who have assisted us throughout the pandemic,” he said.
The problem is happening statewide. In Wake County, thousands of students were left without a bus driver for the last week as the fast-moving omicron variant of COVID spread through the Triangle.
Wake County schools officials are considering whether to establish express service bus routes as a temporary solution. The express routes would pick up multiple students at a central location in each neighborhood.
This story was originally published January 12, 2022 at 8:20 PM with the headline "Chapel Hill-Carrboro bus driver shortage means 3 routes canceled on Thursday."
