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Sutherland Public Schools hears transport update as driver shortages and recertification slow routes
Summary
At a regular board meeting, transportation supervisor Tyro Fear told trustees that driver shortages and certification lapses have forced temporary reliance on vans and outside drivers while the district rebuilds its pool of certified bus drivers.
The Sutherland Public Schools board heard a detailed transportation update about driver shortages and certification delays on Oct. 1. Tyro Fear, who presented the update, said the district has been ‘‘slowly gaining ground’’ after starting with minimal staffing but must manage immediate gaps while drivers complete required recertification.
Fear described a recent case in which a driver lost authorization to operate larger buses after failing to receive a mailed credential: ‘‘He did not get the card in the mail and obviously nobody was the administrator and could see that date…so we lost a really good driver there,’’ he said. The driver will have to restart parts of the certification process, including air-brake training, before returning to larger routes.
Board members pressed staff on how long recertification takes. Fear said the process can take months in practice. ‘‘Best case scenario average it took me almost 6 months,’’ he said, adding that the driver could not be made fully operational in a matter of days because state testing and training facilities are limited.
To manage routes in the short term, the district is using smaller vans for some trips and borrowing experienced drivers from neighboring providers when available; the board heard trips may run with fewer full-size buses during athletic seasons. Fear said the district is expanding training for existing employees and collecting updated DMV records and IDs from potential substitute drivers.
On qualifications, Fear said a condensed two-hour online training now exists for drivers who would operate vans, which lowers a barrier for short-term coverage: ‘‘We got several teachers that are in so we can make that to drive vans relatively quick.’’ He cautioned, however, that larger coach buses require additional certification steps and in-person testing at regional facilities.
The board asked staff to continue accelerating training and to provide updates on the number of certified drivers, anticipated return-to-service dates, and any service adjustments parents should expect. Administration also said it will share contact procedures for urgent matters versus routine questions.
Next steps: staff will continue recruitment and certification efforts, track driver certifications, and return to the board with status updates and any recommended service changes for athletics or daily routes.
