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Bus driver shortages continue to affect schools, one system takes new approach
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WENTZVILLE, Mo. – From Wentzville to St. Louis, schools are facing a stressful number of bus driver vacancies. In the Wentzville School District Transportation Department, a new approach is helping to fill some of those vacancies.
When you think about driving a 40-foot piece of equipment with nearly 80 passenger seats, it can be stressful. Kim Boix and her team at the Wentzville School District Transportation Department say it can be intimidating.
“It takes a special kind of person to drive a bus,” Boix said.
Now director of the department, Boix started out as a bus driver. With a passion for students’ safety, it’s why several on her team have stepped up to the job.
“It’s a big responsibility, but the kids are wonderful,” said Jeff Rascher, a long-time bus driver.
More recently, he started training others.
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“When we don’t have enough bus drivers to go around, me and Randy will go on routes,” Rascher said.
Due to the shortage, he said he sometimes takes on more than one task at a time. Currently, around 185 buses sit in the Wentzville School District Transportation Department parking lot. According to Jeff Gates, an operations manager at the facility, some days they are down to 45 drivers.
A spokesperson for the St. Louis Public Schools District said they are “100% percent” dealing with bus driver shortages. Operating under a contracted bus service, they said, hasn’t seemed to help the ongoing issues.
Boix said it’s something she and others have noticed in “a lot of schools, districts, nationwide shortage.”
They’ve been testing out the program for the last three years, but now, more access and availability to training and trainers are expanding recruiting efforts.
“This year is a little different,” Boix said.
They’re now offering training sessions on Mondays and Tuesdays between 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The training lesson will be available for the public to explore the career path throughout June.
“Your safety zones, your danger zones, we teach you all of that,” Rascher said.
He’s one of two trainers able to teach. He explains the importance of the job and the impact it can have.
“You’re the first one they see before their day of school because you’re picking them up at their house, and you’re the last person they see,” Rascher said.
With no prior experience, you can make $20 an hour. The part-time job also has full benefits, with opportunities to work overtime.
For more information on how to get involved in Wentzville School District Transportation Department program, click here.
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JEFFERSON COUNTY, Mo. – Two people are behind bars after a man reportedly attacked a Jefferson County deputy with a screwdriver during an attempted arrest over the weekend.
Prosecutors have charged Nicholas Davis, 47, and Amanda Davis, 45, of Dittmer, Missouri, with felonies in the investigation.
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The alleged attack followed a traffic stop of a driver in the 9500 block of Jones Creek Road on July 7, though the driver was not Nicholas or Amanda.
According to court documents obtained by FOX 2, Nicholas reportedly came out of his nearby home, yelled at a deputy and started approaching him while holding a screwdriver. The deputy initially ordered Nicholas to back away, then used pepper spray.
Per court documents, the deputy attempted to arrest Nicholas, who then struck him in the chest with the screwdriver. Amanda reportedly approached the deputy and pulled him away from Nicholas before both ran inside their home.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office says the situation prompted an hours-long standoff involving negotiators, a SWAT team and a K-9 deputy. The situation led to Nicholas refusing warnings and being bitten by a K-9.
Nicholas and Amanda are both jailed in the Jefferson County Jail without bond. Nicholas is charged with first-degree assault on a special victim and armed criminal action. Amanda is charged with resisting/interfering with arrest.
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ST. LOUIS — The new St. Louis schools superintendent will be officially sworn into office today. Dr. Keisha Scarlett took over the job in July after the retirement of Dr. Kelvin Adams. She was assistant superintendent in the Seattle Public School District. The installation ceremony is at 6:15 p.m. before the regular school board meeting.
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ST. LOUIS — A gasoline tanker truck crashed into a Metro transit center near Riverview and Hall Streets early Tuesday morning and knocked over a power pole. The pole is leaning on other power lines. Police have the area blocked off here because there is a downed power line. Ameren and Metro crews are also on the scene.
The incident happened around 12:30 a.m. It’s still unclear exactly what caused the crash, but we do that there was a second vehicle somehow involved. The airbags on that second vehicle did deploy.
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Police at the scene have not been able to give us a lot of details. Metro officials tell FOX 2 that the transit center here is operating this morning for passengers and buses. Access to certain areas will be limited here as clean up unfolds.
A Metro spokesperson says half of the station isn’t being used right now because of safety issues. It isn’t impacting overall bus operations, everything is just happening on the other side of transit center.
The extent of the damage to the actual transit center is still unclear, but I’m told it does not appear to be extreme. A Metro spokesperson tells me there were no injuries to any metro workers or passengers. The tanker driver also was not injured.
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