School bus driver shortage: Wake parents encouraged to find their own rides
As a school bus driver shortage persists, the Wake County Public School System is asking parents to arrange their own transportation for the 2023-24 school year if possible.
WCPSS sent this statement to parents of registered school bus riders:
While we are doing everything we can to make routes as efficient as possible to serve the maximum number of students, the driver shortage will cause delays in service during the upcoming school year. Sometimes, no bus will be available and students will have to find alternative transportation to and from school.
With this in mind, families are encouraged to provide their own transportation this school year if they are able to do so.
Parents who can provide their own transportation were asked to visit the website wcpss.net/declinebus and complete the form as soon as possible.
A spokesperson said: "We know that sometimes parents register their children for bus service, but they aren’t sure if they will use the service, or they only plan to only use it occasionally. It would be tremendously helpful to our planning and operations if these parents in particular opted to decline service for next year."
In March, WCPSS told WRAL News it was about 20 drivers short of its minimum staffing goals – and hundreds of drivers short of being fully staffed. The district also said the driver shortage is getting worse.
That could mean more late or canceled buses and more mad scrambles to find another ride.
The district is not unique in struggling to hire bus drivers. Other North Carolina school systems are having similar difficulties, along with districts across the country.
"Ultimately, we understand that the only permanent solution to this problem is to recruit and retain more bus drivers," WCPSS said. "We have already undertaken many efforts to do so, including significant raises and bonuses. But it is clear we must do more, and we will."
Over the past year and a half, Wake County raised hourly starting pay for busing drivers from $15 to $17.20, with a $1,200 hiring bonus for new drivers. That’s a higher starting pay than in neighboring counties except for Durham Public Schools, where drivers start at $18.13 per hour, and Johnston County, where drivers start at $17.50 per hour but don’t move up the pay scale.
The district said an announcement is coming soon about "additional initiatives to aid in retention and recruitment."
Families of children who do ride the school bus can download the Here Comes the Bus app to track their route.
WRAL education reporter Emily Walkenhorst contributed to this report.
