POLK COUNTY, Fla. -- A week after county school bus drivers voiced their concerns to a meeting of school board members, Polk County Public Schools said it was expecting traffic delays because of a driver shortage.
Polk County Superintendent Jacqueline Byrd said the district is short between 60 and 70 drivers. The drivers think that number is closer to a hundred. Bus drivers largely blame the low pay for the shortage. Byrd admits that's part of the problem.
"That is some of the reason, but it's not going to be 100 percent the reason," she said. "It does play a part in it."
The district said it is actively recruiting and training drivers, but delays are expected during the first few weeks of school. School resumes on Monday, Aug. 13.
The district is also negotiating with the drivers' union and working to make sure it has a way to discipline trouble makers on buses. Lack of respect from students is another reason drivers said their coworkers have left.
Byrd is encouraging parents to take their children to and from school if possible. Parents can also find bus delay information here.
Anyone interested in becoming a school bus driver or attendant can visit polk-fl.net/employment or call (863) 534-7300.
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