KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Kalamazoo Public Schools has hired six new school bus drivers, amidst a severe shortage of workers, and they are looking for more of them to get enough drivers to staff all their routes. They started canceling some routes this week.
Superintendent Dr. Rita Raichoudhuri says they are well aware of the disruption it causes, but she is encouraged by the community response.
“It was so heartwarming to see the community spring to action and take initiative in addressing the issue by creating carpools and other ways to support each other. This is what our community does.”
She says parents impacted by the rolling cancellations will be phoned or texted by 6:00 p.m. the night before.
“We will also try very hard to limit cancellations of the same routes (each week). In anticipation of possible bus cancellations, families should have an alternate transportation plan.”
She says they pay more to Bus Drivers, have better benefits, and offer more hours than neighboring districts. School officials hope it will all end soon, but for now it’s day-to-day as they try to scrape together enough drivers to minimize the cancellations.
Last week they had to reassign every substitute teacher, office staffer, and mechanic with the right certification to keep all the buses rolling, but that was not sustainable.
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