TYLER, Texas — As schools prepare for the arrival of students, some districts are having to deal with a shortage of bus drivers.
Although the first day of school in Tyler ISD is Aug. 16, Director of Transportation John Bagert says the district is six drivers down but there are a couple in training.
"Unfortunately, they won’t be ready until after school starts, but we’re very aggressive in sourcing opportunities for drivers (and) school bus monitors," Bagert said.
Bagert said every student will have a ride to school, so parents do not need to worry. He also added that being a school bus driver can be more difficult than many people realize.
"They have to go through a written process (and) they have to go through several federal background checks," Bagert said. "In addition to that, they also have to demonstrate their proficiency not only in driving the bus but in looking at the components of the bus to make sure everything is in proper working order. They have to do all of this before they even leave the lot."
This year, Tyler ISD is providing parents a way to track their kids while they're being transported to and from school on the bus.
"Secure data shows them where their child’s bus stop is, the time they’re supposed to be picked up. Not only that, but parents can also see where their child was picked up. Then when and where their child was dropped off," said Jennifer Hines, Tyler ISD's spokesperson.
The district is urging parents to download the app before the first day of school, because that first bus ride is fast approaching.