How districts are addressing bus driver shortages

(InvestigateTV) — The number of school bus drivers employed in the U.S. fell nearly 10% between 2019 and 2025, as districts work to address a shortage of drivers.The number of drivers dropped from 223,252 in August 2019 to 202,076 in August 2025. Some parents say canceled or delayed bus routes are happening too often.Over three days in April 2026, thousands of students in Fort Wayne, Indiana, stayed home to learn remotely because of a lack of bus drivers.During the first 10 weeks of the 2025-2026 school year, a shortage of drivers in South Carolina’s largest district resulted in more than 7,000 bus delay notifications to parents.Parent describes missed pickupVictoria Encarnacion said her daughter waited outside in Waterbury, Connecticut, hoping to be picked up for school. Encarnacion said her daughter realized no one was coming and walked to North Main.After an hour of walking to multiple stops, the daughter went home.“She called me and told me, ‘Mom, I quit,’” Encarnacion said. “For h