LYCOMING COUNTY, Pa. — There is currently an ongoing shortage of school bus drivers across the state of Pennsylvania. According to the Pennsylvania School Bus Association, the number of drivers continues to dwindle by the year.
"This is something that is not only a state issue; it is a national issue. School bus companies and schools across the country are struggling to really recruit and retain drivers," said Ryan Dellinger of the Pennsylvania School Bus Association.
School districts like Loyalsock Township have been hit hard by the shortage. Some of their drivers are having to run double shifts.
"We currently have a large group of students in a particular area that take up a whole bus, so we are actually coming and getting them before school is technically dismissed, getting them out and then coming back, and then picking up more students and taking them home," said Dan Egly of the Loyalsock Township School District.
The district is currently short four drivers. Officials are meeting with parents to propose a plan to stagger the start times for the schools in the district.
"Looking at what we call a staggered start with one school starting about 45 minutes earlier than the other. That will give us the ability to run less school buses. We will send our drivers out to run their secondary runs and then go back and make their elementary school runs," said Loyalsock Township Superintendent Jerry McLaughlin.
The pandemic has not helped the shortage at all. Many school bus drivers across the state stopped driving because of COVID-19 safety reasons.
"We lost three drivers within the first two months of school this year," said Egly.
If you are interested in driving buses part-time for the Loyalsock Township School District, you can contact their office. Officials tell Newswatch 16 that the school district will pay for your training if needed.