© 2024 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WECS · WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM · WVOF
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Driver Shortage Plagues School Bus Operators

NEW HAVEN, CT - January 12, 2021: Busses parked at the First Student bus depot in New Haven. (Ryan Caron King/Connecticut Public)
Ryan Caron King/Connecticut Public
/
Connecticut Public
NEW HAVEN, CT - January 12, 2021: Busses parked at the First Student bus depot in New Haven. (Ryan Caron King/Connecticut Public)

NPR has been reporting--since at least 2019--on the national shortage of school bus drivers.

That's a situation Connecticut School Transportation Association Board Member Jon Hipsher says the pandemic has made worse.

Hipsher spoke on "All Things Considered" about the reasons for the bus driver shortage, the way it will affect Connecticut K-12 students, and the measures the industry is taking to make the job more attractive.

Hipsher says anyone wanting to apply for these open bus driver jobs should find listings on drivectkids.org.

John Henry Smith is Connecticut Public’s host of All Things Considered, its flagship afternoon news program. He's proud to be a part of the team that won a regional Emmy Award for The Vote: A Connecticut Conversation. In his 21st year as a professional broadcaster, he’s covered both news and sports.

Stand up for civility

This news story is funded in large part by Connecticut Public’s Members — listeners, viewers, and readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

We hope their support inspires you to donate so that we can continue telling stories that inform, educate, and inspire you and your neighbors. As a community-supported public media service, Connecticut Public has relied on donor support for more than 50 years.

Your donation today will allow us to continue this work on your behalf. Give today at any amount and join the 50,000 members who are building a better—and more civil—Connecticut to live, work, and play.

Connecticut Public’s journalism is made possible, in part by funding from Jeffrey Hoffman and Robert Jaeger.