Durham, Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools warn of bus problems Tuesday amid driver shortage
The Durham and Chapel Hill-Carrboro school systems are asking parents with students on dozens of bus routes to try to find another way to get their children to school Tuesday.
A message went out from Durham Public Schools around 7:30 p.m. Monday warning of disruptions to the following routes: 15, 23, 28, 34, 35, 49, 50, 51, 85, 89, 115, 116, 121, 138, 163, 188, 200, 213, 220, 227, 609, 631, 643 and 647.
“We encourage families to arrange alternative transportation for tomorrow as a precaution. We apologize for the inconvenience,” a schools spokesperson wrote.
The Chapel Hill-Carrboro system, which already planned to release students three hours early today, says six routes in that district are impacting 14 schools. The affected routes are
- Bus 19: Frank Porter Graham Elementary, Culbreth Middle, Phoenix Academy High
- Bus 54: Glenwood Elementary, Carrboro High
- Bus 67: Morris Grove, Smith, Chapel Hill High
- Bus 81: Estes Hills Elementary, Phillips Middle, East Chapel Hill High
- Bus 88: Carrboro Elementary, McDougle Middle, Chapel Hill High
- Bus 116: Northside Elementary, Culbreth Middle
“We ask that families please consider alternate travel arrangements for school in the morning, or, contact our Transportation office at (919) 942-5045 beginning at 6:30 a.m. and we will arrange to have a bus pick up your student as soon as one can be made available, which will be shortly after 9 a.m.,” the district stated in a news release. “The student will not be considered “tardy” as a result of this.
Tuesday is the last day before students, teachers and staff get time off to celebrate Thanksgiving.
‘Critical need’ for drivers
This is the second time this month the two districts have warned of delays. The Durham school district said it was short drivers for five routes on Nov. 3, which affected nine schools, The News & Observer reported. Chapel- Hill-Carrboro City Schools didn’t have drivers for two routes serving five schools earlier this month, The N&O reported.
DPS Superintendent Pascal Mubenga has spoken of a “critical need” for bus drivers this year. The Board of Education raised starting pay to $17 an hour this fall.
“The school day can’t begin until our students arrive safe and sound at school,” Bettina Umstead, chair of the school board, said in a news release at the time. “We’re responding to the urgency of our need for bus drivers, and we’re demonstrating our commitment to competitive wages. We intend to evaluate salaries across DPS to better support all of our employees.”
The two school districts are not the only agencies in the Triangle struggling to staff its buses.
Wake County Public Schools modified its routes this school year as it struggles with a 30% bus driver vacancy rate, resulting in longer rides on more crowded buses.
Earlier this month, GoTriangle suspended two express routes connecting Raleigh with Chapel Hill and Durham because it doesn’t have enough drivers, The News & Observer reported. A third of GoTriangle’s 70 bus driver positions are vacant.
Staff writers Richard Stradling and T. Keung Hui contributed to this report.
This story was originally published November 21, 2022 at 9:05 PM with the headline "Durham, Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools warn of bus problems Tuesday amid driver shortage."
