SABATTUS, Maine — While most Maine school districts continue to struggle to keep up with bus driver shortages, two residents frustrated with cancellations have stepped in to help.
The RSU 4 School District, which serves Litchfield, Sabattus, and Wales, has faced its share of difficulties. Transportation Director Sheena Jordan recalled some days, the district was short by nearly half of its bus runs.
"I remember having, I think the most we had down in one day was four runs down. It's almost half of our runs," Jordan shared, reflecting on the challenges.
Last year, RSU 4 was forced to shut down an entire bus route for six months due to a lack of drivers.
People like Matt Bramlett and Marg Levesque, who have children in the district, know the stress all too well. Levesque described how she spent long hours waiting at different schools, trying to manage the bus schedule disruptions.
"I would have to go to the middle school and wait in line a good half hour, and then I would have to go to the other school and wait in that line for another half hour."
After months of dealing with these challenges, Bramlett and Levesque decided they’d had enough and took matters into their own hands. Both parents halted their careers and pursued commercial driver's licenses (CDL), allowing them to drive buses for the district.
Levesque said transitioning into a bus driver role has been an unexpected but fulfilling experience.
"I feel like the bus is my office," she said, noting how the CDL offers flexibility for future opportunities. "You can do almost anything with it, and for that, I really appreciate this license."
According to Jordan, the department has transformed significantly over the past year. Except for one pending driver application, all bus runs are now fully staffed.
"Matt and Marg have made an incredible impact on the department, the community, and the school. Our team as a whole is incredible," Jordan said, praising the contributions of the two parents-turned-bus drivers.
Now on the other side of the bus doors, Bramlett and Levesque said that stepping in to help their community has been rewarding.
"I really feel that the families are so grateful now to have us. It's like you can really sense the appreciation," Levesque shared.