Bus driver shortage causing 'emergency' in Woodland Hills School District

A covid-related bus driver shortage in Woodland Hills School District is creating an emergency for student transportation, officials said.

The district is without at least 10 drivers, a situation that creates a hardship for about 665 students in district communities, district spokesman Andrew Chiappazzi said.

“We provide transportation not just to our five district schools, but to students who live in the district and attend private, charter and special education schools,” Chiappazzi said.

“So it’s not just Woodland Hills students, but many others that are impacted.”

District transportation serves families in Braddock, Braddock Hills, Chalfant, Churchill, East Pittsburgh, Edgewood, Forest Hills, North Braddock, Rankin, Swissvale, Turtle Creek and Wilkins Township.

Chiappazzi said a bus driver shortage has plagued districts since the start of the school year, but “thanks to covid, it’s a greater challenge again.”

Drivers have pushed through the challenge since September, many times doubling and tripling their daily routes.

Woodland Hills has 102 bus routes each day.

The following routes are unavailable because of covid-related driver absences: 220, 411, 414, 437, 439, 440, 443, 445, 456, 3930 and 4111.

Families are being asked to make alternate arrangements.

It was not clear how many students have not been able to make it to school because of a lack of busing.

“No scholars are being punished for being at home,” Chiappazzi said. “If they need to stay home because of transportation, or because of covid or some other reason, they are noted as an excused absence and can access all of their assignments and resources on Google classroom.”

Woodland Hills is not the only district suffering through the uptick in covid counts.

Similar challenges were reported in Kiski Area School District, where officials said they have an extreme problem.

A driver deficit has resulted in frequent morning and afternoon bus route pickup cancellations and delays. Officials are addressing the routes on a day-by-day basis.

In McKeesport Area School District, there have been 13 buses out this week.

Chiappazzi said the district will continue to weigh the situation before making any changes in instruction. Remote learning is an option but there will be “constant evaluation” before that decision is made.

“We know that in-person learning is most effective,” he said. “We have to be mindful of everything that is going on and weigh all of the circumstances.”

Families will be notified of updates through the website, social media and email blasts.