Schools across Michigan are desperate for bus drivers.
Labor shortages and rising COVID-19 cases are not a good mix for hiring new bus drivers, school districts say.
Melvindale-Northern Allen Park schools will not be providing transportation to the general student population until further notice, the district announced Thursday in a message to families. Grosse Ile Township schools suspended its bus service on Aug. 26, saying two drivers handed in late resignations, leaving the district scrambling.
Melvindale-Northern Allen Park Superintendent Kimberly Soranno credited the shortage and last-minute resignations to fears surrounding the pandemic. She said Trinity, the company with which the district has a contract, is short drivers, too.
“Everybody is experiencing shortages,” Soranno said. “And we have tried everything to hire; we’ve even offered incentive pays and higher wages. And people are saying that they don’t care what we offer. They don’t want the jobs.”
Districts in west Michigan are also offering incentives, from signing bonuses to finder’s fees for those who recommend a new hire.
The suspension of transportation for the general student population means that families have to juggle driving kids to school with work and everything else they have to do that day. Some, like Melvindale resident Serena Johnson, have kids at different schools in a district and can’t get both where they need to be. She said paying for a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft is an option for some, but too costly for her.
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“I have two sons that are new to the school district. I have a senior at Melvindale High School and a fifth-grader at Allendale Elementary School. I wasn’t informed until yesterday evening about buses being canceled for the school district due to four drivers resigning and a third party canceling their contracts.
“We only have one vehicle at the moment. Not everyone can afford to make arrangements at their jobs.”
Johnson said it was wrong of the district to wait so long to notify families.
The Melvindale-Northern Allen Park administration has been doing everything it can to find a solution, Soranno said.
“I just feel for parents, I really do,” Soranno said. “We’re trying everything we can to get people to sign up and to contact other companies.”
She noted that they’re going to be understanding of students who may arrive late while there is no bus service.
Johnson said the schools should implement a remote learning option and waive absences for those who can’t get a ride to school.
The University of Michigan is having bus issues of its own.
Students and employees experienced long lines and overcrowding on buses, especially during peak hours, when school started this week.
The university cited labor shortages and new bus routes as the reason for the extensive delays. The university has since reverted back to old bus routes after community members complained, but the labor shortage remains.
The bus driver shortage on campus dates to 2020, said university spokesperson Kim Broekhuizen, but it didn’t make a significant impact because not many people rode the bus while school was virtual.
“Heading into fall 2021, staffing levels have decreased even more,” Broekhuizen said. “This is not unique to U-M. Transit Services is aggressively working to recruit more staff. One area where we have been hit the hardest is in the recruitment of temporary and student drivers. We’ve increased driver pay and we have redoubled our recruitment efforts.”
The bus driver shortage affects students from elementary school to college and has the potential to negatively impact their learning. Students at the University of Michigan complained they were often late to class or had to leave extra time in the morning. Johnson said it will also hurt her family.
“I do believe a lot of students will be missing a lot of learning,” she said. “The parents should’ve been given options for their children. Transportation is out of the children’s control. No children should be penalized for being late or absent due to this transportation. It’s not fair to the students or parents.”
Contact Emma Stein: [email protected].
