School bus driver shortage could get more dire
Stamford school officials warn parents to ‘expect delays’
STAMFORD — There is a shortage of bus drivers in Stamford and it could get worse.
A note sent out to families early Monday announced that the district was shortstaffed, and to expect delays in the morning and afternoon.
It’s unclear if the bus driver shortage will get more dire as a result of an executive order by Gov. Ned Lamont requiring drivers to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus. The deadline to get at least
one shot of the vaccine was Monday.
Bus service in Stamford is provided by Ohio-based First Student.
Michael Fernandes, the district’s associate superintendent for intervention and student support, said about 75 percent of the district’s 146 bus drivers and bus monitors are vaccinated.
Fernandes said any unvaccinated school employees hired before Sept. 27 will have to undergo weekly testing, so unvaccinated drivers and monitors have a week to get their first round of testing done.
New drivers will be required to be fully vaccinated, he added.
“Stamford continues to face challenges due to the statewide bus driver shortage,” Fernandes said, in an email Monday. “We have a number of drivers out today, due to a variety of reasons, including sick, quarantine and leaves of absences. As a result of these absences, we have some routes that are running behind schedule, as drivers pick up additional routes or are rerouted to find efficiencies.”
A nationwide bus driver shortage has affected many school districts in Connecticut this year.
It’s unclear how many drivers are now out of compliance. The Connecticut School Transportation Association reported to the state Friday that it conducted a survey, finding that 1,558 school drivers in 12 school bus companies were unvaccinated.
Under the vaccination order by Lamont, all school personnel and contractors in contact with students — including bus drivers — must be vaccinated or agree to weekly testing.
In a statement Monday, the association reported “very few” disruptions in getting kids to school.
“Thanks to the committed school bus drivers and managers for promptly following the Governor's mandate for COVID vaccinations and testing, while at the same time, doing what needed to be done to get Connecticut’s children safely to school,” Jon Hipsher, vice president of COSTA, said in the statement.
It was also unclear Monday how state and local officials planned to enforce the requirement. State employees also fell under a similar mandate deadline Monday morning but Josh Geballe, Lamont’s chief administrative officer, said in an email to state employees that they should report to work Monday as usual, as the state sorts out vaccination records supplied by employees.
“I think the vast majority said, ‘I want to get vaccinated.’ There are some that say, ‘Can I get tested?’ I haven’t heard of too many that have said ‘hell no’ but there will be some,” the governor said.
State workers who don’t get vaccinated and refuse to get tested should be on an “unpaid furlough for a period of time,” he added.
Heading into Monday, school officials worried that opposition to the mandatory vaccinations could leave kids waiting on street corners without a way to get to school. While several districts — including North Haven and Pomperaug Regional School District 15, which covers Southbury and Middlebury — reported a handful of drivers who did not show up Monday, no Fairfield County districts said they had drivers take a stand against the vaccines or testing by walking out Monday.
Lamont has required staff at pre-K-to-12 schools statewide to get at least their first shot by Sept. 27. The mandate allows for religious and medical exemptions with an opt-out for testing.
The mandate comes as school transportation companies struggle to find enough drivers even without a vaccination mandate, amid an odd job market. Unemployment remains higher than normal but employers in many sectors report difficulty hiring.