Alabama’s capital city is currently dealing with a shortage of school bus drivers.
The Montgomery Advertiser reports the Montgomery Public Schools are working toward solutions for the lack of drivers at the start of this school year. A school official says the district is seeking more drivers, but they aren't receiving any applications despite efforts to advertise openings.
Of Montgomery Public Schools's 159 routes, 151 have a driver with no subs. The problem becomes even worse when drivers call out.
Retired bus drivers cannot work full time and therefore have to take off one of every 10 days they work, or approximately two days per month. Montgomery Public Schools currently has 31 retiree drivers meaning school transportation officials have to get creative to work around absences from more than 20 percent of their drivers.
