OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — A school bus driver shortage is leaving some parents in the Blue Valley School District concerned about crowded buses.
Erin Weber said her sixth-grade daughter, Lindsay, was dropped off at home an hour and a half late last week.
Lindsay said the bus ride was not only long, but it was too crowded and kids weren't wearing masks properly.
"It was kind of scary because people had their masks down to their chin," Lindsay said. "Everyone was scooched in the back together."
Erin Weber said her daughter was upset after getting off the bus.
"I called the district, and they kind of brushed me off and said it's not an issue with the school district, it's an issue with the transportation department," Weber said.
Weber called Durham School Services, who told her there is a driver shortage and some routes are being combined.
In an email to 41 Action News, Edward Flavin, Durham director of communications, said there is a driver shortage.
"We can confirm that some routes have been combined this week and we remain in constant contact with our partner Blue Valley School District. We continue to operate within the State of Kansas guidelines for capacity limits for our buses. For PreCOVID conditions, the limit was approximately 71 passengers, but now we are transporting approximately 35 passengers on each route. Also, we continue to recruit for great drivers, and anyone interested in applying may go here," Flavin said.
Flavin also said the safety of employees and passengers is the number one priority, and students and drivers are required to wear masks on board. He also said buses are disinfected twice daily and drivers are issued ProKure disinfecting solution for high touch surfaces.
Erin said she still worries that combined bus routes will increase the spread of COVID-19.
"My fear is that we've wanted our children to be back in school and they're there, but they're not taking the precautions we were told they're going to take, and I think we're just going to be back where we were on day one," Weber said.
Weber said she is frustrated she hasn't gotten much of a response from the district about her concerns.
"I feel that they've kind of washed their hands of it and think since she's on the bus that it's a bus issue, but at the end of the day my child is the responsibility of the school district until she gets home from school," Weber said.
41 Action News reached out to the school district about this, and we were referred to the bus company.
