Lack of bus drivers remains major problem at Pittsburgh Public Schools

Pittsburgh Public Schools officials are still rushing to find solutions to a severe shortage of bus drivers and available seats for students.

“We are going to continue to work as much as possible to ensure we’re able to try to get our students back in,” said Minika Jenkins, the district’s chief academic officer. “We will continue to work until we have exhausted all options to get students back into the building.”

The district last week said it won’t have enough bus seats for everyone, as the number of students returning to buildings gradually increases this month. Officials had predicted a daily shortage of 1,200 seats come May 3, when Support Categories 1 and 2 are to return. Support Category 3 will return April 26, but the district does not expect the seat shortage will pose an issue at that time.

On Friday, district officials said the daily shortage had grown to about 1,300 seats, after more parent surveys were received. The gap in available seating could prevent the district from welcoming back all students for hybrid learning by the end of the academic year, unless some students are able to find alternative ways of getting to school.

“The covid restrictions and driver shortage are impacting our availability to transport all students,” said Megan Patton, director of pupil transportation.

Since last week’s announcement, the district said, 100 seats have been released by families who were able to find alternative transportation, and the district was able to eliminate the gap for 18 schools. Based on current enrollment, no additional resources will be needed at those schools, as students will fit on existing routes that are already scheduled.

That still leaves more than 30 schools with shortages. Patton said affected families will receive information in the mail by the end of next week.

“The seat gap comes into play when we don’t have any existing routes with available space at those schools,” she said. “We would need to be adding additional resources, and currently, at this time, we don’t have any additional resources to be adding.”

Officials last week explained the driver shortage was created when the district first went fully remote last year. When schools shut down, many drivers left for steadier job opportunities. Some needed to stay home with their own children, who were learning from home.

Patton said the district needs at least 200 drivers by May 3 to accommodate the number of students who use district transportation. At least 350 are needed by the fall, when the district expects to be back to a fully in-person learning model.

“All our companies are doing recruitment,” she said. “And we’re also working on some in-house adjustments we can do moving forward.”

The district has identified 327 students able to use Port Authority buses, along with 1,648 students who live within walking distance to their schools and 241 students who aren’t eligible for transportation. But even with those allowances, starting May 3, there will still be about 1,300 students each day who need a seat on a district bus.

Patton again asked families who can find alternative transportation to call the district at 412-529-HELP or visit www.pghschools.org/Letstalk to “release their seats.” Any family whose school will experience a seat shortage will receive Port Authority ConnecTIX tickets, from the district, she said.