Driver Shortage Plagues School Bus Operators

Connecticut Public Radio | By John Henry Smith

Published August 26, 2021 at 7:17 PM EDT

NEW HAVEN, CT - January 12, 2021: Busses parked at the First Student bus depot in New Haven. (Ryan Caron King/Connecticut Public)

NPR has been reporting--since at least 2019--on the national shortage of school bus drivers.

That's a situation Connecticut School Transportation Association Board Member Jon Hipsher says the pandemic has made worse.

Hipsher spoke on "All Things Considered" about the reasons for the bus driver shortage, the way it will affect Connecticut K-12 students, and the measures the industry is taking to make the job more attractive.

Hipsher says anyone wanting to apply for these open bus driver jobs should find listings on drivectkids.org.

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John Henry Smith

John Henry Smith is Connecticut Public’s host of All Things Considered, its flagship afternoon news program. He's proud to be a part of the team that won a regional Emmy Award for The Vote: A Connecticut Conversation. In his 21st year as a professional broadcaster, he’s covered both news and sports.

See stories by John Henry Smith

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