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District 15 warns Senate Bill 1799 would worsen bus-driver shortages and delay student arrival times
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Hines told the Palatine CCSD 15 board that Senate Bill 1799, which would limit third-party, short-term staffing without union approval, could force longer bus routes, doubled trips and possible additional start tiers, worsening an existing driver shortage.
Superintendent Dr. Hines told the Palatine CCSD 15 Board of Education that Senate Bill 1799 could cripple the district’s ability to cover routes and keep school start times stable.
"Senate bill 17 99 at its core says that you, will limit the district's ability or any district's ability with non instructional staff to do any level of outsourcing or supplementation beyond the 90 days without union approval," Dr. Hines said, warning the board that the restriction would limit tools the district has used to address an ongoing driver shortage.
The nut graf: District 15 leaders said they have used short-term contracts and supplemental drivers to fill gaps created by high daily call-in rates and recruitment shortfalls. Board and staff officials said the bill could force longer daily routes for drivers, require drivers to run multiple tiers in a single day and — in worst-case scenarios — prompt consideration of an additional bell time tier to cover all routes.
Dr. Hines described the staffing problem in operational terms. "We vacillate between 85 and 90 drivers on any given kinda Sunday," she said, and noted the system also faces high daily call-in rates. She said the district has tried higher wages and active recruitment but still must rely on supplemental drivers to run three-tier schedules.
Transportation staff member Tom Bramley echoed the practical consequences. "So that means you drive for 35 or 40 minutes with 1 route in your tier, and then you will go out again and do a slightly longer route because it might be a little further, another 30 or 40 minutes," Bramley said, describing what he called a "doubling" of routes when drivers are short. He added that delays in earlier tiers cause cascading lateness in subsequent tiers.
Board members and the superintendent said they expect to join with other suburban districts and IASA to oppose the bill; Dr. Hines said the district would issue an action alert to parents and staff if the bill advances. She said the district will urge legislators to consider the operational effects: reduced ability to get students to school on time and increased lost instructional minutes.
The board did not take a legislative vote at the meeting. Instead, the discussion served as a public record of the district’s position and a request that staff and community advocates contact lawmakers as the bill proceeds through the General Assembly.
