CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — School bus shortages are an issue that the entire nation is facing as a collective.
3News talked to officials from Corpus Christi and Alice Independent School District's about the major shortage and how they're still making ends meet.
According to Kyle Pelichet, Director of Transportation for CCISD, the district only has about 40% of their full driving staff.
He adds that in order to meet the demand for drivers district employees have had to put on many different hats.
"Our office staff who are normally working in the office are driving bus routes," Pelichet said. "Our vehicle maintenance staff or mechanics are also driving routes, so we fill most of that void with those positions that are nondriver positions, but they're all licensed".
Daniel Lee Galvan, Transportation Supervisor for Alice ISD, said that the bus driver shortage started about a decade ago for them, but got worse when the pandemic started.
"We had a lot of our older drivers that decided to retire and they were there," Lee-Galvan said. "They were up there in ages as far as the service they gave us. But that was a big factor, and the COVID and then some were leaving because they were just afraid."
Drivers have had to put in more work to meet the demand, but in some cases that wasn't enough.
"In the last two and half years that COVID has been affecting us, we've had to do away with three or four routes," Lee-Galvin said. "Still today, we actually have to double up on routes in order to make trips happen."
Even with fewer hands on deck, kids are still getting to and from school no matter the shortage.
"We had full buses and then as we started up school again and went full force, our numbers were staggered. Maybe one to a seat," Lee-Galvin said.
Alice and Corpus Christi ISD said that they are offering a paid training program with full time benefits.
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