Howard County’s new school bus contractor flew in 70 drivers. It still faced a shortage.

 Howard County school buses: Zum flew in 70 drivers and was still shorthanded - The Baltimore Banner

Howard County Schools contracted a Silicon Valley tech company to run its school buses for $27 million, and it's a mess. Thousands of students without pickups.

 Howard County school buses: Thousands of students stranded without service - The Baltimore Banner

MCPS Bus Drivers, Teachers Complain of Working Conditions, Pay

During Thursday’s Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Board of Education meeting, union representatives for teachers and bus drivers expressed deep concern about their working conditions.

Kelvin Brown of SEIU Local 500 complained about a shortage of drivers, low pay and too many no school, no pay days, including during winter and spring breaks.

“Bus drivers are overworked and underpaid,” he said. Drivers sometimes must double and triple back on routes to make sure all students are transported “while not being compensated” for the extra time.

Brown also said some routes that aren’t covered due to a shortage of drivers aren’t always listed on the MCPS transportation website. Therefore, families are not warned and don’t have time to come up with alternate transportation.

He also pointed out that there sometimes is not an aide on routes carrying special education students, something that never occurred in previous years...

MCPS Bus Drivers, Teachers Complain of Working Conditions, Pay - Montgomery Community Media (mymcmedia.org)

Montgomery Co. reinstates extra route bonus for school bus drivers

Maryland school districts have struggled the last two years to hold on to their school bus operators in the middle of a nationwide shortage. Montgomery County is hoping a few more bucks in drivers’ pockets will keep them at the wheel.

Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Monifa McKnight said school bus drivers will once again receive a $25 bonus for each extra route driven. If there’s an extra route in the morning and another in the afternoon that would add $50 a day to the operator’s pay.

The bonuses were paid during part of the last school year but were terminated at the end of the school year...

Montgomery Co. reinstates extra route bonus for school bus drivers - WTOP News

MCPS Bus Drivers, Teachers Complain of Working Conditions, Pay

During Thursday’s Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Board of Education meeting, union representatives for teachers and bus drivers expressed deep concern about their working conditions.

Kelvin Brown of SEIU Local 500 complained about a shortage of drivers, low pay and too many no school, no pay days, including during winter and spring breaks.

“Bus drivers are overworked and underpaid,” he said. Drivers sometimes must double and triple back on routes to make sure all students are transported “while not being compensated” for the extra time.

Brown also said some routes that aren’t covered due to a shortage of drivers aren’t always listed on the MCPS transportation website. Therefore, families are not warned and don’t have time to come up with alternate transportation...

...Jennifer Martin, president of the Montgomery County Education Association, spoke out about a teacher shortage. There are more than 200 teachers lacking proper certification have been hired for this school year, she said.

Also, she noted that as of Oct. 17. there were 268 unfilled positions, 66 of them in special education...

MCPS Bus Drivers, Teachers Complain of Working Conditions, Pay - Montgomery Community Media (mymcmedia.org)

Breaking: MCPS Missing Drivers for *** 46 Bus Routes Today ***. #COVIDisAirborne

Bus Routes, Bell Times, and Bus Depots by School: Department of Transportation - Montgomery County Public Schools (montgomeryschoolsmd.org)

... 32 school bus driver vacancies... @mcps

WATCH: As of Monday, there were 32 school bus driver vacancies, according to school district Superintendent Dr. Monifa McKnight.

An MCPS school bus driver tells MyMCM, “we have to help each other,” amid driver shortage.https://t.co/0uCM2285Sk

— MyMCMedia (@mymcmedia) September 3, 2022

@mcps Still Not Able to Run all Summer School Buses

 The following summer program bus routes do not have coverage for the morning of July 21. This list is up to date as of 7:45 a.m.

Route #	AM Schools	PM Schools
S2422	Northwest HS @Clemente/Darnestown	Northwest HS @Clement/Darnestown ES
S2502	Poolesville HS/ Maryvale ES	Poolesville HS/Maryvale ES
S2110	Clarksburg HS/Gibbs/Clarksburg ES	Clarksburg HS/Gibbs/Clarksburg ES

@mcps Still Can't Find Bus Drivers for Summer Programs, Including Special Education Schools

 IMPORTANT MESSAGE: 7/18/2022 at 8:02 AM -- Refresh page to update message

The following bus routes will not be served on July 18 due to staffing challenges, S2422, 2502, 2216, 2307, 4304, 4415, 4237, 4605 and 4406. Visit the Department of Transportation website for up to date information

The following summer program bus routes do not have coverage for the morning of July 18. This list is up to date as of  8:00 a.m.

 

Route #	AM Schools	PM Schools
S2422	Northwest HS & Darnestown ES	Northwest HS & Darnestown ES
S2502	Poolesville HS & Maryvale ES	Poolesville HS & Maryvale ES
S2216	Clarksburg HS & Little Bennet ES	Clarksburg HS & Little Bennet ES
S2307	Jones Lane ES & Marshall ES	Jones Lane ES & Marshall ES
S4304		Rica  &  Matsunaga ES
S4415	Longview	Longview
S4237	Seneca Valley HS   &  Watkins Mill ES	Seneca Valley HS   &  Watkins Mill ES
S4605	Katherine Thomas	Beall ES   &   Katherine Thomas
S4406	Longview	Longview