On March 15, 2020, the US went into a complete lockdown, which marked the start of a new life caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, we’ll look at how the COVID-19 pandemic changed the face of pupil transportation.
What Happened to School Buses During the Pandemic?
The impact of the pandemic was immense — not only did schools have to restructure how students received education, but the entire transportation industry felt the strain too. With the remote model coming into place, school buses ended up being docked at bus terminal. In some cases, buses were repurposed in one of the following ways:
- Meal Delivery: School buses delivered meals to students in reduced-cost and free lunch programs.
- Wi-Fi Hotspots: Some buses were equipped with Wi-Fi hotspots and parked in neighborhoods to assist with remote learning programs.
While districts used some buses to help students in need by providing meals and internet access, fleets mostly stayed in parking lots gathering dust, while still requiring maintenance to ensure reliability.
How Did Drivers React?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, School Transportation News reports that some school bus drivers did not get paid. This led to a huge problem: drivers started leaving districts because there wasn’t any job security, while others yet faced layoffs. Many older drivers also chose to retire rather than deal with the instability, new protocols, and health risks associated with driving during the pandemic.
These factors all combined to make driver shortages significantly worse in almost every district across North America.
Why Did Things Not Get Back to Normal?
As schools reopened in Fall 2021, things were slowly starting to get back to normal. Except, school buses were no longer the preferred way for students to get to school. What were the reasons?
- Social Distancing: Regulations dictated that school buses had to enforce social distancing measures to ensure student and driver safety. This meant that buses could not carry the maximum capacity of students they were designed for. Additionally, sanitization protocols also increased costs for transportation departments.
- Health Concerns: Parents were still wary about putting their kids on buses with multiple other students. There was a rise in the number of people who dropped their children off to school in private vehicles during this period.
- Budget Constraints: Many school districts faced budget cuts during the pandemic, which impacted investment into their transportation departments. With lesser funding to spare, many buses were improperly maintained, leading to unreliable transportation. These problems resulted in fewer students signing up for yellow buses.
The Way Forward
With all that has happened over the years, especially the end of ESSER funding resulting in further budget cuts, it’s challenging to get back on your feet alone. Investing in school bus routing software that enables you to do more with less can help you maximize efficiency at your district. Get in touch with us today to learn more about BusPlanner: an all-in-one student transportation management suite.
