It’s come down to this: Durango School District 9-R is so short of bus drivers that some bus routes could be temporarily suspended as early as next week.
As a repercussion, pick-up and drop-off times could change as much as 10 to 15 minutes from combining routes, Victor Figueroa, district director of operations, said Tuesday.
The district has not yet decided which routes or parts of the district would be affected. Any altered or canceled routes would be reinstated once enough drivers are found.
Earlier pick-up or drop-off requires another adjustment, Figueroa said. School-ground aides must be present to greet and watch over early arrivals, and then stay to see off late departures.
“We’re trying to mitigate the impact on families, however,” he said.
In its search for bus drivers, the district has placed fliers around town, hung a banner at Durango High School and other campuses, gone to job fairs, and advertised its need on Facebook and in newspaper public-service announcements, district spokeswoman Julie Popp said.
“We’ve even advertised outside the state on the national stage,” Popp said.
Minor adjustments to bus stops have been put in place in the last 30 days. But larger modifications may be necessary, Figueroa said.
The driver shortage stems from five vacant positions and two drivers on extended medical leave.
The district has pressed all possible substitute drivers into service, but it is at the end of its string, he said.
The roster of fill-in drivers includes Figueroa himself, two mechanics, two bus-yard office workers and a half-time driver each morning and afternoon. The half-time drivers are the district mailman and a custodian.
All substitute drivers have a commercial driver’s license in case of emergency. If a bus breaks down, a replacement is sent to complete the route or secure the defective bus.
The driver shortage is remindful of the proverb about the loss of a horseshoe nail, which brings successive losses of horseshoe, horse, rider, message and battle and, ultimately, leads to the loss of the kingdom.
District employee scheduling may require more substantive changes.
The district is able to hire and retain teachers and administrators with no difficulty, Popp said. But bus drivers are another case.
A bus driver earns $13 to $14 an hour, not a bad wage in Durango.
Drivers training for a commercial driver’s license receive a partial salary during the five-week course, Popp said.
Job applicants must undergo a background check to assure they are no threat to children, a physical examination and a job-suitability test by the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Commercial driver’s license training is every day for five weeks, Popp said.
daler@durangoherald.com
