Syracuse, N.Y. (NCC News) – School is underway, yet districts in Central New York are still struggling to find bus drivers. The main concern now–getting kids to and from school safely.
The COVID-19 pandemic and highly transmissible Delta variant has left many senior bus drivers pumping their brakes. According to AP News, nearly half of the bus driver workforce was over 65 years old pre-pandemic.
Currently, Syracuse has just enough drivers to fulfill the school district’s 160 routes. However, the district says they would like to hire at least ten additional drivers in case a driver is sick or needs to take time off.
Since the summer, the district has poured gasoline on the effort to hire more. Incentives include a starting pay of $21.36 per hour, a $3,000 signing bonus for fully credentialed drivers, and paid training with a year contract commitment.
Some drivers signed up, however the vetting process is extensive, and it will be at least the end of October before any new drivers are on the road.
In the meantime, kids needing access to city and Centro buses are paying the price. The long wait times and modified routes leave kids waiting downtown or getting dropped off far from their normal stops.
Already, kids in CNY have reported getting home up to an hour later than usual–an increasing issue for kids that have an after-school job or have to watch a younger sibling, for example.
In a new plan, New York Governor Kathy Hochul plans to extend the search to more than 550,000 licensed commercial drivers and the DMV is working to expedite the process to acquire a commercial license.
However, she has made clear that they will not sacrifice the testing and screening process out of desperation. Hochul says the priority will always be the kid’s safety.
“Our schools and public health officials have moved mountains to ensure our children receive an in-person education this year, and we are leaving no stone unturned to make sure schools have adequate bus service to bring students to school and back,” Governor Hochul said.
The Syracuse district says they have already altered hundreds of routes given the driver shortage. Centro and city buses are continuing to work on replacing cancelled routes.
