Lack of Buses, Drivers a Problem for Schools

A string of retired bus drivers and a lack of buses for sale have compounded Placentia-Yorba Linda School District’s transportation problems, an assistant superintendent reported this week.

At the district trustees’ Tuesday night meeting, Assistant Supt. Kim Stallings said there are no buses immediately available for purchase or lease.

“We’ve even checked on the Internet for buses,” said Stallings, who added that two buses might be available within a couple of weeks. “Hopefully there will be a few more buses in the future.”

In December, district trustees directed staff to purchase or lease one or two additional buses to ease overcrowding after backing off a plan to eliminate 22 bus stops. Parents had complained about eliminating those bus stops because they wanted their children to continue to be able to use bus service.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Stallings suggested the board consider hiring a transportation expert to look at possible long-term transportation solutions.

“This is kind of a Band-Aid approach,” Stallings said of purchasing a new bus. “Maybe an outside expert could come in and see a solution we haven’t seen.”

Additionally, the district hired several of its substitute drivers to replace retiring drivers, but now has a depleted substitute pool because no new drivers have applied. Bad weather and recent sicknesses have kept some drivers home and resulted in more delays, Stallings said.

A training class has been scheduled for Jan. 21 to attract people interested in driving for the district.

“We’re going to have to continue to deal with the shortage of buses and drivers,” Board President Karin M. Freeman said. “If something goes wrong with a bus, it will result in a delay. That’s the dilemma we’re left with without reducing ridership.”

The Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District has 71 bus drivers.