Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
West Seneca transportation department says driver absences caused Monday disruptions; recruitment incentives underway
Summary
Board members discussed a one-day transportation disruption caused by multiple driver absences and contract coverage gaps. District leaders said they combined runs, used trained clerical staff and mechanics to cover routes, and are offering a $500 recruitment incentive to help address shortages.
Board members and district administrators addressed transportation disruptions at the Feb. 25 work session after families reported late or canceled runs the previous day.
Superintendent Lisa said the transportation department saw nine drivers call in sick on the affected day, including five last-minute call-ins, and two contracted runs were not covered by the district's vendor. To maintain service, the district combined runs where feasible, used clerical staff licensed to drive buses and mechanics to cover routes, and prioritized getting students to school rather than leaving them unserved.
"We had nine of our bus drivers that called in, five of which were very last minute," Lisa said, describing the staffing shortfall. She said the department and contracted vendors worked to restore normal service the next day and that efforts to recruit drivers have intensified. The district is offering a $500 incentive to both an existing employee and a newly hired bus driver after the new hire completes probation. The administration expects a group of recommended transportation hires to appear on the March 4 agenda.
Board members asked whether runs had been canceled or combined and how the district decides when combining is feasible. District staff explained that the district operates on a four-tier transportation schedule — high school, middle school, and two elementary tiers — so delays in one tier can cascade across others and lengthen runs. Staff said they are analyzing ridership data to identify low-ridership runs that can be combined in the future and will discuss policy options such as walk-zone definitions or opt-in/opt-out transportation models only after further study.
No policy changes were adopted at the session. The administration recommended continuing recruitment, evaluating ridership data, and reporting back to the board with options for longer-term adjustments.
