As the school year gets underway, signs that read “school bus drivers wanted” are a familiar sight throughout Illinois and the nationwide driver shortage is being felt in the Land of Lincoln.
Numerous districts are forced to tier bus schedules, with buses making multiple rounds to prevent overcrowding.
Decatur Public Schools continue to deal with a school bus driver shortage.
“We continue to deal with a critical shortage of bus drivers due to COVID. We know the late buses, and in some cases missing bus routes, are exceptionally frustrating, not only for parents but for our school as well,” the district said in a statement.
Some bus company officials attribute the shortage to mass retirements during the pandemic. Others point to Governor J.B. Pritzker’s vaccination mandate for school employees. Scores of Chicago school bus drivers have reportedly quit because of the mandate.
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