Nearly 40 School Bus Routes Restored As Anne Arundel County Battles Driver Shortage

Press release from Anne Arundel County Public School:

October 13, 2022

Thirty-seven school bus routes across the county that have been out of service this school year will begin operation and will transport students effective Monday, October 17, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mark Bedell announced today.

Staff in the Anne Arundel County Public Schools Transportation Department have identified the routes as part of an extensive granular-level examination and ongoing adjustments to stops on other routes. As of October 17, seven routes will be able to offer both morning and afternoon service, six will offer only morning service, and 17 will offer only afternoon service.

“As I said when we announced this plan earlier this month, this is not the total solution that our families expect and that we want,” Dr. Bedell said. “It is, however, a huge step forward that will provide families with relief as we continue to explore additional avenues to solve this complex issue.”

Routes were chosen through a variety of factors that include the use of an equity lens aimed at identifying and eliminating negative barriers, whether an additional run will result in students getting to school on time or nearly on time, the volume of students expected to ride a bus, and the existing impact on a school that would be served by such an additional run. Some routes that have been out of service will now be served by multiple buses.

Beginning Monday, October 17, the following routes will be operating:

Full service routes (morning and afternoon)

Morning only routes

Afternoon only routes

Specific schedules with bus stop pickup times can be found by clicking on the School Bus Schedules link at www.aacps.org/buses. The new stops and times will be reflected on the page no later than 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 13, 2022.

Bus route impacts on a given day will continue to be communicated online at www.aacps.org/buses, by email and text message to registered bus riders at impacted schools, and on the school system’s Facebook page.

As Dr. Bedell has previously stated, the school system is also looking at changing route service to schools at the semester break to provide buses to students who may be without them for the first semester. Additionally, AACPS is in the process of executing emergency procurements that will allow for additional passenger vans to be used to transport students. Such vans do not require drivers to have CDL licenses, as school buses do, but the hope is that drivers of these vans may be encouraged to pursue a CDL license.

This press release was produced by Anne Arundel County Public School. The views expressed here are the author’s own.