DeKalb bus program representative: ‘Optimistic’ but district still has ‘long way to go’ to address driver shortages

“We are optimistic, but we still have a long way to go,” said Ladel Cass, area general manager of First Student.

School Bus at Huntley Middle School in DeKalb, IL on Thursday, May 13, 2021.

DeKALB - DeKalb School District 428 is still looking for a solution from bus provider First Student on how to get students to school on a consistent basis.

“It has been very difficult for all the families,” said Cynthia Carpenter, district director of business at Tuesday’s school board meeting. “Things are looking better, but we are still looking at some creative ways to get our kids to school.”

Tuesday’s conversation came after the DeKalb school board earlier this month approved a plan to reimburse families some money from needing to drive their children to school in lieu of buses. The reimbursement plan will be based on mileage and number of children in each family. Details for the plan were still being finalized as of last board meeting, officials said.

“We are optimistic, but we still have a long way to go,” said Ladel Cass, area general manager of First Student.

Cass has been working with Carpenter and others in the district to bring some consistency for all of their schools, but is struggling to lock down a solution that will bring relief, she said.

The lack of bus drivers has been an ongoing issue nationwide since the start of the school year, forcing Illinois schools to reconfigure bus routes, rely on parent or guardian transportation and get creative to fill the need. In district documents, officials said that “due to bus driver staffing shortages” at the district’s bus driver provider, First Student, “some buses have been canceled.”

School board members discussed the issue Tuesday and directed staff to continue to brainstorm ways to address the ongoing problem.

“We are writing checks and our kids are not getting to school,” said board member Jeromy Olson. “Come back with some more options and things you all can do to get our kids to school.”

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