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Why are schools seeing a shortage of bus drivers?

The driver shortage in the Permian Basin isn't as recent as it might seem.

ODESSA, Texas — Though the national bus driver shortage is starting to make the news as of late, it isn’t as recent here in the Permian Basin.

The shortage has been an issue locally even before a national shortage began making the news.

The main reason?

“One thing about the oil field, it’s back booming from a couple years ago. So any time that goes, a lot of our CDL drivers in the area for the Permian Basin kind of navigate back towards that area. And so Midland ISD, I know Ector ISD as well as Big Spring, we’ve spoke; we’re all kind of affected by the driver shortage because of that,” MISD Director of Transportation Anthony Sims said.

Both ECISD and MISD are working to provide more incentives for their current drivers to stick around, as well as entice potential drivers.

“We do provide driver training, so if you don’t have your CDL we can assist you with the training in regards to getting your CDL certified. Another thing that we’re doing, we’re recruiting our monitors,,” ECISD Director of Transportation Latonya Brooks said.

One thing though that both districts agree on is important to help adapt to the shortage is word of mouth.

“So I like to make sure that my drivers that I have here, that they’re okay. Because they’re going to be the ones that’s going to go out and tell people ‘Hey, you want to work for ECISD? Hey, this is what they’re doing here at ECISD’” Brooks said.

“Word of mouth is key. So that’s one thing that we’re doing is working on word of mouth, getting out and into the community and just letting them know that Midland ISD transportation is hiring,” Sims said.

Though the oil industry and other related industries may be enticing to CDL drivers, school districts like ECISD and MISD will adapt and work hard to make sure there will always be someone to get kids to school.

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