WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above aired on Sept. 13, 2021.
In response to a shortage of school bus drivers across Maine, the state’s congressional delegation is pushing the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to take steps to safely address what they call an "urgent need" for more drivers.
This is an issue NEWS CENTER Maine has reported on a lot in recent months.
In September, multiple school districts in the state had to cancel buses because they didn't have enough drivers. In November, school leaders in Portland approved a measure for a $3,000 sign-on bonus to address a shortage of bus drivers.
In a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King and Reps. Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden called for the agency to delay or temporarily waive certain training and certification requirements that could keep prospective bus drivers from quickly filling open jobs.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has hit both the education and transportation sectors especially hard, and this is distinctly true for the school bus drivers who bridge these two sectors,” the lawmakers wrote. “First, in 2020, extended suspensions of in-person learning reduced the work available for drivers, leading many to seek other jobs. Now that demand has returned, many school districts are facing short-staffed bus fleets, forcing difficult decisions about canceling bus routes, which undermine children’s ability to access the educational opportunities they need and deserve. The federal government must work with states to grant temporary regulatory flexibilities to ease these pressures for school bus providers and drivers while continuing to ensure road safety.”
Bus driver shortages have been a concern for many Maine school districts since before the start of the 2021-22 school year.
Read the Maine delegation's full letter below.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The video below aired on April 22, 2021.