Bus driver shortage leaves some WCPS students waiting for buses that never come

Valerie Lechner is tired of asking someone to fix the problem with her 13-year-old’s bus ride to school — or lack of one.

She and many Wayne County Public Schools parents are complaining on social media and in messages to the New Old North about buses that don’t show up or, if they do arrive, are more than an hour late.

WCPS officials did not officially discuss the lateness, the missed rides or the lost instructional time, but district spokesperson Ken Derksen did offer a reason for the continuing transportation issues.

There are not enough people to drive the buses.

“WCPS has 18 driver vacancies, which is contributing to some delays for the schools,” Derksen said in a written response to NON’s questions about the transportation issues.

Derksen said that to alleviate some of the shortage, the district is using staff members who are licensed to drive buses — “instructional assistants, teachers, coaches, custodians and the district’s three transportation route managers.”

“We currently have several individuals who are in the process of completing their final requirements to drive a school bus for WCPS, which will help,” he added.

Some the problems with lateness occur because, when there is no driver for a certain route, it has to be combined with another, which means one group of students will have to wait for the first route to be finished, Derksen said.

Lechner knows all about that.

Her son’s route to Dillard Middle School has been combined with one for Carver Heights Elementary.

“They pick the elementary kids up first, and the middle school has to wait,” she said.

Derksen said in some instances, split routes are occurring, which is where students from one route are added to other buses.

“An expanded route increases route times for everyone on board that bus,” he said.

Parents are supposed to be notified when a bus is delayed for any reason, Derksen added.

“As delays vary by school and by day, each school is tasked with informing impacted families about issues,” he said.

Lechner said she has not been informed of potential late buses and that, when she has complained about the missed rides, she has been directed to the district’s Transportation Department.

“No one gives me any answers,” she said.

Lechner said she addressed her son’s transportation needs when she registered him for school and then later at open house.

“Monday comes, the first day of school, and we are waiting. No bus,” she said. “I went to work late.”

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday — same thing.

“Friday, the bus came, but it was late,” Lechner said.

And then again today, no bus.

Every time her son’s transportation does not arrive, Lechner has to drive him to school.

And she is late for work.

“I work at the prison. I am supposed to be there at 5:30 a.m.,” she said. “I am not getting there until 9 a.m.”

And she says she is not the only parent dealing with the consequences of the district’s transportation concerns.

“Every morning, I see other parents dropping off their children,” she said.

Other parents who have reached out to the New Old North say their children are arriving at school late — more than an hour late — and missing vital instruction time.

Lechner says she has discussed the problem with Dillard principal Mario Re — and that he was sympathetic, but added that it was out of his hands, that the problem was at the district level.

So, she put her concerns on Facebook.

Re asked her not to make anymore posts.

“He said it was making Dillard look bad,” she said.

But when she faced another late bus today, Lechner added another complaint to that Facebook feed.

“I tagged everyone — the school board, the city council, anyone who needed to know,” she said. “Something needs to be done.”

And the concerns are not just about getting her child to school either.

His school dismisses at 3:45 p.m., Lechner said.

“One night he did not get home until a quarter to 6,” she said.

Lechner said the bus delays are not just about inconvenience. It is about education.

“These kids missed more than a year of time in school,” she said. “They need to be in school. They cannot afford to miss 90 minutes waiting for a bus.”

Derksen asked that those members of the community looking for work apply to drive buses for the district. The starting salary, he added, is more than $14 an hour and those interested can click here.