Parents Losing Patience Over Bus Driver Shortage
MCKEESPORT, Pa. (KDKA) - Parents say they're reaching their breaking point over the bus driver shortage.
Parents say they're trying to be patient, but it's wearing thin, and there are only so many times working parents can go to their boss and ask to show up late or leave in the middle of the day.
One mom is calling in reinforcement.
In McKeesport's Crawford Village, Keiona Morris says she's over it.
"He's starting to feel like he's not important enough to get picked up from school," she said.
She calls the bus situation a game that's toying with her 11-year-old son Keshawn's education.
"He woke up and he said, 'I'm not missing school today, mom. Call someone,'" she said.
After the bus didn't show again, she took to social media asking for help.
A McKeesport firefighter answered the call. He's now volunteering his time, dropping Keshawn off at home.
"It was amazing, I was blessed that he reached out to me. I didn't know what more to do. I was excited, my son was excited," she said.
From McKeesport to Pittsburgh, the struggle for parents looks the same.
"Our son is supposed to get a bus to Conroy in the Pittsburgh school district, and he has not received a bus three separate times. Even this morning we had a robocall at 6:57 in the morning when his bus is supposed to show up at 6:54," said Pittsburgh Public Schools parent Thomas Plungin.
Pittsburgh Public Schools Transportation Director Megan Patton says the district is at the mercy of hearing word from the bus garages. Some days, at least five drivers call off sick or end up in quarantine at each garage.
"As of right now it's pretty steady as to if we get new hires they're kind of filling in for where drivers are on leave or they've been exposed, so the new hires we are getting are kind of keeping everything steady," said Patton.
But parents like Plungin say they can't deal much longer.
"It's completely unacceptable. It's no notice for families, it's no notice for anybody to make other arrangements," he said. "Hey, great, 'there's no bus, it's 1 o'clock. Your son needs picked up at 2.' Well, what if I can't?"