In just a few weeks most students will be back at school in Kansas City.
Teachers are getting classrooms ready, and parents are busy with back-to-school shopping and preparing their kids for a school schedule.
On Thursday, the Kansas Highway Patrol is making sure every bus is safe for the road.
The bus barn in Merriam has 225 buses to be checked, according to Student First, the company hired by the school district.
Some of the buses were used to transport children to summer school, but others may have been sitting since spring.
Statewide, troopers will inspect more than 11,000 buses.
BACK TO SCHOOL: bus inspection underway in Merriam. State troopers inspecting 225 buses this morning @41ActionNews pic.twitter.com/5RZAuLCjoZ
— Ariel Rothfield KSHB (@arothfield) July 28, 2016
Mechanics at the bus barn work all summer to prepare for the inspection and to make sure everything is in working order.
"Each one of these inspections only lasts a couple minutes unless they need a fix or repair on the bus. If that is the case, we’ll pull it out of the line and the bus will usually be repaired at that time," said Trooper Jordan Plachecki.
Trooper Plachecki said after they finish in Merriam they will head over to KCK schools.
Bus companies are also looking to hire more drivers before the start of school.
First Student in Merriam is trying to fill 60 spots. Right now the company has 50 applicants undergoing training and/or screening. If there are not enough drivers by the start of the school year, the company will borrow drivers from other bus barns.
"We're hiring for all of our route drivers and we do the charters and trips and shuttles all-year-round as well," said Darlene David, the region training manager for First Student.
Applicants must be 21 years or older, pass a criminal background check as well as a drug test. To apply, visit http://www.firststudentinc.com/careers/positions-opportunities
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Belinda Post can be reached at belinda.post@kshb.com.
