Bus Driver Shortage Impacts School Schedule In East Brunswick

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — The first week of school in East Brunswick was disrupted by a shortage of bus drivers.

Owing to the shortage, athletic practices in many middle schools have been canceled for the day. Many drivers are currently doing double shifts to make up for the delays. Bus routes will be delayed by 30 to 40 minutes, reported News 12.

In a message to the community, superintendent Victor Valeski said the issue the district is facing is “unprecedented.”

"We use both our own bus fleet and drivers along with contracted bus companies and their drivers. Late Friday, we were notified that driver shortages among some of our contracted providers would impact some of our regular and athletic/after school bus routes,” Valeski said. “I understand your frustration.”

The school district said it was working on fixing transportation issues but it may take time before the problem is resolved.

Schools affected by the shortage include Churchill, Frost, Irwin, Warnsdorfer and Lawrence Brook.

The bus driver shortage is a national issue, impacting states including New York, Minnesota, Nevada, Illinois and Vermont.

Six in 10 school districts in the country said they still trying to increase the number of bus drivers, according to a survey by RAND Corporation.

While districts try to raise pay or benefits for drivers, they face stiff competition from delivery companies like Amazon, according to a report from Chalkbeat.

Meanwhile, the East Brunswick Police Department is conducting traffic enforcement in the area of Churchill School to monitor traffic laws during pick-up and drop-off.

Norton road is a one-way roadway that is one lane only. Passengers must alight the vehicle on the right side of the roadway only. The left side must remain open and flowing in order to maintain safety. Any vehicle found to be obstructing the free flow of traffic will be issued a summons, the police department said.

Have a correction or news tip? Email sarah.salvadore@patch.com