This fall in Howard County, many students were left without transportation to school and after school events. This dilemma was caused by a bus driver shortage and the introduction of a new bus company.
Hired for the new school year, Zum bus company announced they didn’t have enough drivers to fulfill Howard County’s transportation needs. This shortage resulted in twenty bus routes having to be canceled. As a resolution, drivers have been offered a 500 dollars a week bonus to those without one absence per month. Schools have also resorted to bus drivers making up to two trips in order to get all students to their schools.
The bus driver shortage has been an issue since the end of COVID-19 as older bus drivers are trying to avoid sickness. The shortage has affected the home and school life of many students taking the bus.
“I’ve had to adjust my morning routine by waking up earlier to account for the longer bus ride and different bus route from last year,” freshman Kylee Muffoletto said.
Students have also stated that their buses are much more crowded compared to last year because of the longer routes they take.
“The bus is way more crowded this year; it’s definitely harder to find a spot sometimes,” junior Neithraa Bacon stated.
Many students felt their school life was compromised after coming to school late. For the first couple weeks, fifteen buses were arriving between 7:55 and 8:00, which didn’t allow the students enough time to get off the bus, eat breakfast and get to class.
The biggest problem arose when twenty bus routes were canceled and students had to resort to self-transportation to school. This issue is in certain areas of the county where students don’t have cars or their parents can’t get off work to pick them up.
“At schools like River Hill, students would have to resort to self-transport to school whether it’s driving themselves or having their parents drive them. Other students would have to wait up to an hour and a half after school for a bus to take them home,” principal Dr. Dipaula said.
To fix this issue, MRHS implemented a new 7:50 start time. Which has made it easier for bus drivers to get to school well before first period, allowing students to get to class on time.
Elementary schools have also started ten minutes later, giving drivers twenty more minutes in the morning to drive kids to middle and elementary school after doing their high school drop-offs.
However the new start time has caused an unexpected issue. Traffic has increased in the mornings which affects all the students who drive and get dropped off at school by their parents.
“Buses have been getting to school at the same time as student drivers contributing to the traffic coming into school. Buses also drive slower and take wider turns which slow down traffic even more,” Dr. Dipaula stated,“We’ve fixed one problem and started a new one.”
Although traffic has increased in the morning, the bus issues have improved, and students are getting to school on time, which was the main goal. The following months of school will detirmine whether this fix is permanent or not.