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Bethel Local board hears staffing and fleet pressures as members flag driver shortages and scheduling issues
Summary
Officials said the district is short drivers, running double routes, and must address a middle‑school scheduling error and aging buses; the board discussed hiring and a public commenter pressed the board after a bus‑driver application was denied.
Board members and district staff told the Bethel Local School Board the district is operating under transportation strain as it starts the school year.
The superintendent reported the district has 25 buses with four out of service and said staff aim to hire additional drivers to eliminate daily “double routes” that delay students. The transportation presenter said hiring three drivers would cover double routes and a daily shuttle, and staff outlined the training and licensing steps required to put a new driver on the road (background check, DOT drug and alcohol clearinghouse check, physical and drug screen, motor vehicle record review and required pre‑service training).
Board members discussed options including advertising on Indeed and local Facebook pages and said the district will continue recruiting. Staff noted high mileage on older buses (one bus reported with roughly 300,000 miles) and said the fleet replacement and maintenance cycle should be funded on an annual basis.
The board also addressed a middle‑school scheduling problem described by the superintendent as “messed up” after schedules had been locked in earlier in the year; staff described short‑term fixes and a plan to convene a management/labor committee and meet with middle‑school staff to reassign classes and reduce class size imbalances.
On hiring, the board took up an employment motion to approve Don Black as a bus driver (step 5, four hours per day). Roll call for that motion recorded mixed votes: Missus Leskiewicz and Missus Butler recorded “Yes”; Missus Donahue, Mister Bee and Missus Kiplinger recorded “No”; the chair recorded “Yes.” Board discussion during public comment and subsequent remarks reflected disagreement among members over the hiring results and the standards used in candidate selection.
During public participation, Don Mark, who identified himself as a longtime local resident and CDL holder, complained that he had been turned down for a bus‑driver position and asked the board for reasons and feedback. Board members acknowledged his service interest but noted policy: hiring requires staff prequalification and a majority board vote to finalize employment.
Other items related to transportation included approval of a contract for alternative transportation services (EverDriven) to cover special‑education trips; staff found and flagged a likely typo in the proposed per‑mile charge and said they would correct the contract language (board staff indicated the per‑mile fee should be $2.58 rather than a larger amount shown).
