Fayette delays, cancels more school bus routes as driver shortage persists

More Fayette school bus routes have been canceled and delayed as a shortage of drivers persists.

Eight routes were canceled on the morning of Thursday August 19.

Last week after several bus drivers called in sick with the district already shorthanded, Fayette Superintendent Demetrus Liggins said he “took the extraordinary step” of canceling four bus routes.

District spokeswoman Lisa Deffendall said Monday afternoon that three more routes were canceled on Friday and at least 15 had been delayed.

“In the afternoon, we delay routes rather than cancel them. This means that after other buses are freed they go back and run those routes,” Deffendall said.

On Tuesday afternoon, Tates Creek High School Principal Marty Mills told families in a message that more routes had been delayed.

“I was just notified that buses 1963, 1809, & 877 are delayed and will not pick-up students until 4:45p and I’m sorry,” Mills said in a message. “Students are allowed to wait, find another way home, or walk. “

Deffendall said the district currently has vacancies for approximately 25 school bus drivers and 30 school bus monitors.

“The driver shortage is fluid,” Deffendall said. There are 9 people in training, 13 trying for needed permits, and 10 interviews scheduled. District officials hope to have 20 to 30 candidates in the school bus driver class in the next month, she said. The district has had a shortage since at least 2017.

K-12 classes in Fayette County started last Wednesday, August 11.

As with any other school year, Deffendall said, there were some transportation mishaps on the first day of school as students, families and drivers were learning new routines.

Examples of issues with students who were temporarily unaccounted for included a student who fell asleep on the bus, a student who went to a friend’s house instead of going home, and a student who got off at the wrong stop, she said.

“We take very seriously our responsibility to deliver students safely to and from school, and as such, have developed detailed procedures to guide the dismissal and transportation process,” Deffendall said. “There is no room for error when it comes to student safety and we are investigating each of these incidents to determine if a breakdown in our protocols may have occurred. “

Deffendall said district officials will take all appropriate steps to prevent future, similar issues.

As the school year begins in the middle of a coronavirus surge, the district is also dealing with positive COVID cases among students and staff and quarantines.

On Monday, there were 37 new student cases reported, seven new staff cases and 98 new student quarantines, according to the school district COVID-19 dashboard.

This story was originally published August 17, 2021 at 10:35 AM.