LIVONIA, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) – Livonia Public Schools is facing a severe shortage of bus drivers, meaning some students will have to find another way to get to school for the next two weeks.
In a letter dated Thursday afternoon, Livonia Public Schools said it has made every effort to staff all bus routes, which serve more than 6,000 students a day, but the problem has gotten so bad that it is putting the brakes on several routes.
Starting Friday through next week, buses A through E will no longer run, impacting Stevenson High School, Holmes Middle School, Riley Upper Elementary School and Coolidge Elementary School.
The following week, only buses F to J were affected.
Andrés Gutierrez/CBS Detroit
“We made the decision to adjust routes in this manner so that families would not receive a last-minute, early-morning call that required them to scramble within an hour to find alternate transportation for their child. By informing our families in advance, we hope that this brief disruption will be manageable,” Stacy Jenkins, a spokesperson for the district, wrote in a statement.
District leaders are also encouraging families to carpool during this time, saying services for students with special transportation needs will not be affected.
The district says it has been working to recruit more drivers, holding job fairs, offering competitive wages and even paying for training in hopes that more drivers will soon be behind the wheel.
Livonia Public Schools is looking for candidates to become bus drivers.
Andrés Gutierrez
