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Parent says bus driver shortages leave students arriving nearly an hour late to Manatee schools
Summary
A Manatee County parent told the school board March 11 that driver shortages have left her daughter arriving as late as 10:05 a.m., causing missed instructional time for pre‑AP students and raising safety concerns at busy stops.
A parent told the Manatee County School Board on March 11 that ongoing school bus driver shortages have forced some students to arrive at school as much as 45 minutes to an hour late.
Celine Charlson, who identified herself as a retired teacher and a parent, described a bus route that had been added earlier in the year and briefly improved her daughter's arrival times. "My daughter was arriving at school as late as 10AM, 45 minutes after the first bell," Charlson said. "More recently, she has been arriving between 9:35 and 9:45." Charlson said her daughter sits in a pre‑AP class during first period and that the lost instructional time is a "serious academic disadvantage."
Charlson told the board the route had become unreliable because drivers were running multiple runs; she described one morning when her child was dropped off at 10:05 a.m. and said delays also created safety concerns at a stop on a busy road.
Charlson said she had communicated with school administrators and the district transportation department and offered to help find community solutions. The board did not vote on the matter during the meeting; Charlson urged the board to take immediate action so students who rely on bus transportation can arrive on time.
Ending: Board members acknowledged the issue and thanked Charlson for working with school staff; no formal action was taken at the meeting.
