Granville board approves 30‑day emergency bus contract, vows to recruit and train drivers

Granville Central School District trustees voted to approve a 30‑day emergency transportation contract with an outside carrier to cover routes left vacant by a shortage of certified drivers, and pledged to accelerate local recruitment and training to restore in‑house service.

The board described the arrangement as a short‑term measure while the district recruits drivers and implements a reimbursement program that pays up to 25 hours of required FMCSA online training and reimburses CDL exam fees for substitute drivers who complete certification. "In a perfect world, we can get fully staffed ... and the need for Duran will be nonexistent in 30 days," said Mr. Hall, the superintendent.

The decision followed extensive public comment from drivers and parents concerned about the district's plan to consolidate two morning/afternoon runs into a single run. "Two runs is a good model," said Dwayne Burke, a bus driver, who warned that mixed-age, longer single runs can create safety and behavioral problems and cited past experiences when he had to stop a route to calm students. "It's not a good deal," Burke said.

A parent of a nonverbal child, Tanya Shattuck, asked whether her daughter would retain familiar staff on the bus under the temporary contract. The board responded that administrators will reach out directly to impacted families and that the district will try to minimize changes for students with special needs. "We're going to do everything in our power to reduce your stress," Mr. Hall said.

Board members and administrators said the contract is structured to be time‑limited and conditional. The board pointed to a policy adopted in March that authorizes reimbursement of CDL costs for non‑GSSA members who commit to one year of service, and said that investment is intended to bolster long‑term in‑house capacity.

Administrators acknowledged several operational questions remain, including exact route start/end times, whether vendor buses will interface with district GPS tracking, and insurance/ liability responsibilities. The superintendent said district staff will meet with the vendor to clarify those details and return to families with specifics.

The board also said it will explore a memorandum of agreement with the union to reduce the disruption and is preparing community communications to clear up misinformation. The contract was presented as an emergency measure to ensure students have transportation when school opens in less than two weeks.

Next steps: administrators will meet with the vendor, contact affected families, post targeted driver recruitments (including part‑time and shorter‑hour postings), and report back to the board at or before the end of the 30‑day period.