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Bossier Parish transportation director flags high driver absenteeism, outlines training and staffing steps
Summary
Director Aaron McGee told the board the department is using ER plans frequently to cover absent drivers, cited 173 ER plan uses this year and estimated 85–90% of coverage is via ER plans; the district is increasing training and pursuing recruitment and partnerships.
Aaron McGee, the district's director of transportation, told the Bossier Parish school board committee that absenteeism among bus drivers is the department's biggest operational challenge this year and is straining the system.
McGee said the department has implemented ER plans — having other drivers cover portions of absent drivers' routes — 173 times so far this year and estimates roughly 85–90% of coverage is handled by ER plans rather than daily substitute drivers. He said 11 drivers have covered more than 10 extra routes and one driver has covered other drivers' routes on 38 separate days. "Our drivers, to be honest with you, are just getting tired of having to do it," McGee said.
McGee gave operational counts to illustrate scale: 190 full‑time operators, 223 routes, 13 activity‑driver routes and six routes covered by long‑term substitutes. He said the district has run two driver training classes this year with 37 trainees (7 now driving and 14 still completing training) and praised Shelly Chamberlain, who was selected by the State of Louisiana as one of nine master instructors for CDL training.
On costs, McGee said a daily substitute costs $103. He and board members discussed driver recruitment, potential incentives and ideas gathered from drivers and routers; several board members pledged support and asked staff to return with possible remedies. McGee also described community partnerships, including trading three decommissioned buses to the Bossier City Fire Department in return for firefighter training and evacuation‑drill instruction that will benefit district students.
Board members agreed the absenteeism issue is not unique to the district and asked staff to continue exploring recruitment, training and operational changes. The committee moved on to bus procurement afterward.
