Several school districts in the Triangle have a shortage of bus drivers with the start of the 2023-24 school year this month.

Wake County Public Schools needs 17 drivers, Durham Public Schools needs five full-time drivers, and Cumberland County Schools are 17 drivers short as of Thursday.

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On Aug. 1 at the Wake County School Board meeting, Wake County Public Schools interim superintendent Dr. Randy Bridges said the district has about 90,000 students who ride school buses each day.

“I’m thankful to the individuals in transportation, operations, human resources, all the departments who have come together to try to address this crisis - and it is a crisis, in terms of not having enough bus drivers to safely transport our children to school,” Bridges said.

Bridges said about 2,000 children are impacted by the Wake County shortage.

“We’re asking any of our employees or members of the community who have CDLs [Commercial Driver’s Licenses] if you’re willing to help us out in this arena, we certainly would appreciate it,” Bridges said.

In March, WRAL News reported the lowest-paid drivers make $22,000 each year in Wake County.

Durham Public Schools Transportation Director Joe Harris Jr. started at the district as a bus driver. He said the staff has been creative in scheduling the current employees.

“We've put together different students that are riding together in areas of different schools, where we would normally send two buses, we send one bus and pair those two schools together, so that helps us tremendously,” Harris said.

Harris said school bus drivers in Durham make $18.13 per hour.

While Durham is far from a crisis, Harris emphasizes the number of drivers is in flux. He said the district is always hiring.

“At this current time, we are not in a position where we have to reduce any services, but I can't say what will happen in the days to come,” Harris said.

Durham will need many more drivers for the 2024-2025 school year.

Harris said the district needs to hire 50 more to account for the Growing Together redistricting that will be going into effect there. He said DPS staff has been creative to avoid reducing routes in the interim.

“We also look at some of the double runs and some of the shuttling,” he said. “Those things have helped contribute to the point to get us where we are today where we’re able to maintain.”

Here's how much school districts pay bus drivers in central NC