Seattle Public Schools to suspend 142 bus routes starting next week amid driver shortage – By Callie Craighead (SeattlePI) / Oct 15 2021
Seattle Public Schools (SPS) announced Friday it would suspend over 100 school bus routes starting next week due to a shortage of drivers.
Starting Monday, Oct. 18, the district will cut 142 of its approximately 600 bus routes due to a “significant decrease in available bus drivers,” according to an update sent to parents Friday. The district does not own or operate the buses, and instead contracts a third-party vendor, First Student, which is currently dealing with the impacts of a nationwide driver shortage
“It’s our hope that the staffing shortages faced by First Student will be resolved as quickly as possible so we can resume – and improve upon – all bus service,” said SPS Assistant Superintendent of Operations Fred Podesta. “In the meantime, we are actively looking for alternative solutions to this challenge, such as the expanded provision of ORCA transit passes for middle school students, and other modes of transportation.”
The route suspensions are estimated to impact 6,740 students.
