May 26, 2022
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Ottawa, Streator districts request parents take children to school because of driver shortages

Shortages likely to cause delays in getting to, leaving school

By Michael Urbanec

Ottawa and Streator elementary school districts are experiencing bus driver shortages, and asking parents to help out by bringing and picking up their children to and from school. (Sandy Bressner - sbressner@shawmedia.com)

Ottawa Elementary Superintendent Cleve Threadgill asked parents in a Facebook post Wednesday to make arrangements to transport their children to school through next week because of a severe bus driver shortage.

Streator Elementary sent a similar correspondence to parents of its district.

Threadgill said the driver shortage, coupled with the rise in COVID-19 cases, could cause lengthy delays in getting children to school.

Threadgill hopes this will curb the spread of COVID-19 and help in getting children to school in a more timely fashion.

The Streator Elementary district said bus transportation was going to be a challenge as several bus drivers were already out ill, causing the district to run multiple routes and causing delays before and after school.

“We are unsure as to how long we can make the transportation work with very limited staff,” the district said.

Parents of the Streator Elementary District are encouraged to keep tabs on the district’s Facebook page updates regarding the transportation issues.