Philadelphia school districts are now willing to pay parents to drive their children to class after struggling to find bus drivers to continue through the school year.
The School District of Philadelphia is paying families $300 a month to opt out of the school bus system and drive their kids to and from school. The Wall Street Journal cited Monique Braxton, a spokeswoman for the district reporting more than 8,500 families having signed up for the program for the current school year.
“If your child’s school is on the way to your work, this is a win-win,” Braxton said.
Philadelphia schools are coping with a bus-driver shortage by paying families $300 per month to take their children to and from school https://t.co/dkOJAUGqVc
— Kingspointe Ravine (@KingspointeRav1) September 29, 2023
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Under the Parent Flat Rate Transportation Program, eligible parents who opt out of district bus, van or cab assignments and “instead drive their child to and from school. All registered families will receive $300 per month ($3,000 for the school year) for transporting their child to and from school.”
The program adds and additional offer: “families to receive $150 per month ($1,500 for the school year) to transport their child to school in the morning but still utilize bus, van, or cab service in the afternoon.”
Staffing for school bus drivers fell during the COVID-19 pandemic and has yet to increase in many parts of the country. Some districts are cutting but routes to deal with the shortages, while others are desperately trying to recruit more drivers.
🚍*beep beep*🚍
There are two stories in here: one focused on how the school bus driver shortage looks statewide, and the other focused on one bus driver who stuck with the job for 51 years.#schoolbus #busdrivershortage #educationhttps://t.co/eZxdwE9n8h
— Jolie Peal (@PealJolie) September 26, 2023
CPS said it's doing everything it can to make the bus driver job more enticing, such as raising hourly wages. https://t.co/sPdLWbAYkU
— ABC 7 Chicago (@ABC7Chicago) September 28, 2023
Adelaide Hills commuters are seeing red as a bus driver shortage leaves many stranded. Services between the CBD and Mount Barker were cancelled as more and more drivers turn their back on the job. @msariovski #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/k5hxDXi3zj
— 7NEWS Adelaide (@7NewsAdelaide) September 27, 2023
The school bus driver shortage was a problem even before Covid, but it's worse now. In this Ohio town, kids miss school and parents have to juggle things to get to work. https://t.co/GorlZDU6hu
— Ruth Joy (@RuthJoy96960173) September 25, 2023
A CBS News affiliate reported that CPS raised its pay for drivers from between $15 to $20 hourly to $25 an hour in hopes of enticing new hires.
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