The Unalaska City School District is running on a revised bus schedule due to a driver shortage.
In a letter to parents and families sent out Dec. 5, Superintendent Jim Wilson said one of the island’s bus drivers is leaving town for a family emergency, and the district will have to get by with just one bus for now.
That means some kids will have a longer bus ride and others will be riding in alternative school vehicles.
Unalaska is not alone in its lack of driving staff. Students in Anchorage have been on rotating bus schedules for months due to driver shortages. And nationally, school transportation coordinators have described shortages following the COVID-19 pandemic as “severe.”
Bering Shai Pedwell Transportation is contracted to provide the district with buses and drivers. Normally, Wilson said, they have three buses available. Currently though, the contractor has no available alternate drivers.
The district will use a new bus schedule until further notice. Some major changes to the routes: Unisea and Westward students will be on Bus 1, and students in the Valley will be riding in service vehicles.
Head to the district’s website to find more information on the updated schedule.
Wilson encourages anyone interested in becoming a bus driver to contact the school district at 907-581-3151.