Wilson County Schools cites driver shortages and delays; board approves budget move to tablets and GPS upgrades

District transportation staff told the board that August logged 22 down routes compared with 510 two years earlier under a different operating model, and that vacancies and call-outs create ripple effects that delay multiple routes. "When we have drivers call out, it is a ripple effect," a transportation staff member said, citing 11 current vacant routes and multiple drivers in training.

Board members and the director discussed short- and longer-term steps including hiring, training, and equipment. The board approved a budget amendment reallocating $290,117 from equipment to transportation for upgraded GPS, routing software and the installation of tablets on buses; staff said tablets will display routing information and enable more efficient communication and future real-time on/off reporting. "Putting tablets on our buses ... makes it much more efficient," a district staff member said. The amendment also reallocated funds for tutoring, staffing changes (moving an open maintenance position into technology), TLC camera costs and other line-item moves; the budget amendment passed unanimously.

Parents in public comment earlier suggested incentives such as staggered pay, referral bonuses and opening gyms early for supervised drop-off; the board said some measures are already in use but agreed to continue recruitment and consider additional steps.

Provenance: Transportation metrics and staffing numbers were presented in the director's report and transportation update (SEG 1670–SEG 1773). Budget amendment details and tablet allocation were discussed in the recommendations and votes portion (SEG 2529–SEG 2567).