CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As the school year comes to a close, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools' transportation department continues to have major disruptions, leaving some kids stranded at school.
Parents at Myers Park High School recently shared an example during a recent board meeting. They received a message from the district 30 minutes before school let out letting families know that there was no driver for one of its buses, and kids would have to figure out a different way home.
Sarah Gass, a CMS parent who received the message, raised the issue during the meeting.
"I did a quick post on this and received dozens of messages from schools as close to Sharon [Sharon View Road] and as far away as Bain [Bain School Road] and everywhere in between," Gass said.
WCNC Charlotte asked CMS about these disruptions. The district said bus driver vacancies have caused service disruptions and delays for students and families.
"Due to the severe driver shortage, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools bus drivers have and will continue to double routes to provide the best possible service for students," a district spokesperson said in a statement.
The shortage of bus drivers is not just a CMS problem; it's a nationwide issue that won't be easily solved.
The district says its transportation leaders are working closely with area managers across the district each day to ensure minimal service disruptions.
However, some parents are concerned about how CMS will balance current transportation mishaps with future plans to rezone thousands of students out of their current neighborhood to schools miles away in southern Mecklenburg County.
"The bus driver shortage is real," Gass said. "It's been a long-term issue and is now a nationwide problem. This means that there will be no workable solution for years to come."
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Despite the district's efforts to address the issue, the frustration among parents continues to grow.
The district is ending the school year with more vacancies than when they started in August. There are currently 58 bus driver vacancies.
CMS did not directly answer our question regarding if additional schools received similar messages to Myers Park, how often this has happened this year, and how CMS is addressing this logistically or budgetary.
You can find the district's full statement below.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Transportation acknowledges that bus driver vacancies have caused service disruptions and delays for students and families. Currently, there are 58 bus driver vacancies, and we are working diligently to hire and retain bus drivers to minimize delays.
Due to the severe driver shortage, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools bus drivers have and will continue to double routes to provide the best possible service for students.
Transportation leaders are working closely with area managers across the district each day to ensure minimal service disruptions.
Transportation area offices notify impacted schools as soon as they have a coverage plan. This doesn’t account for any last-minute callouts by our bus mechanical breakdowns. All this happens in real time and schools are notified as soon as area office officials are aware of any issues. Area offices also have an exception report that school staff can access to learn about delayed buses. School staff, in turn, notify families of delays.
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Contact Shamarria Morrison at smorrison@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.