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Carson City trustees hear detailed transportation update showing aging fleet, driver shortages
Summary
Director of transportation told the board the district has 47 buses (33 older than 20 years), two new special-education buses expected next week, and persistent driver shortages tied to starting pay; trustees discussed bus cameras and safety measures.
Sherry Fletcher, director of transportation for the Carson City School District, told the Board of Trustees on Sept. 9 that the district’s school-bus fleet is aging and that staffing shortfalls remain a limiting factor for service.
“We have 47 total buses,” Fletcher said during a presentation led by Superintendent Filling. “Thirty-three of those buses are over 20 years old.” She added that the district recently ordered two special-education buses that are expected to arrive next week but cautioned that prior orders have been delayed or canceled because of supply-chain issues.
The transportation presentation outlined service details and costs. Fletcher said 17 general-education routes serve about 1,558 students in required walk zones, while 10 special-education routes provide door‑to‑door service for about 213 students. She also noted the district operates four electric buses acquired via grants; two are running routes and two are currently out of service for unresolved support issues.
Board members and staff discussed driver recruitment and retention. Fletcher said starting pay for bus drivers is currently $19.63 an hour and emphasized that competing private-sector jobs and neighboring districts are drawing candidates away.
“We cannot retain employees,” Fletcher said. “They don’t even get $20 an hour to start.” Trustees cited the need to examine compensation and the transportation budget when preparing future drafts.
The board also discussed a pilot of bus-mounted cameras. Superintendent Filling reported that a company called Bus Patrol installed cameras on four buses for roughly four weeks and that the pilot captured about 300 violations during that period, consistent with results seen in other districts. Filling said there is interest in pursuing automated enforcement programs that forward footage to law enforcement for citation.
Trustees thanked transportation staff for stabilizing routes after pandemic-related staffing shortages and discussed budgeting options to replace older buses gradually. Fletcher and the superintendent said the district will prioritize acquiring standard diesel buses for reliability while continuing to monitor electric-bus opportunities.
The board did not take action; the transportation update was provided for information and follow-up questions were requested for future budget discussions.
