Urging The Department Of Education To Convene A Working Group To Address The State's School Bus Driver Shortage.
The resolution highlights a survey conducted by the National Association for Pupil Transportation, indicating that 78% of school districts across the U.S. are experiencing severe bus driver shortages. In Hawaii, the situation mirrors national trends, with dozens of bus routes temporarily suspended and families left without reliable alternative transportation. In August 2021, the Department of Education reported a shortage of 100 drivers out of a total of 650 positions, translating to a shortage rate of over 15%. This deficiency significantly impacts students' ability to attend school regularly.
Senate Resolution 200 (SR200) urges the Department of Education in Hawaii to convene a working group to address the critical shortage of school bus drivers in the state. Recognizing that school bus service is essential for student attendance, particularly for those from rural, remote, and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities, the resolution emphasizes the urgency of the situation, which has deteriorated significantly since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic led to a considerable loss of drivers due to illness, layoffs, and other factors, exacerbating an already existing national crisis in school transportation services.
SR200 calls for establishing a working group that would include representatives from various educational and transportation sectors, as well as bus service providers in Hawaii. The intent is to come up with collaborative solutions, which may also include proposed legislation to alleviate the school bus driver shortage. This working group's findings and recommendations are to be reported back to the legislature, emphasizing the collaborative approach needed to tackle this pressing issue in Hawaii's educational landscape.