Some students in Sterling, Colorado, will be asked to walk to school this year instead of taking the school bus, the Journal-Advocate reporting that during a recent Valley Board of Education business meeting, board members eliminated two bus stops due to overcrowded buses and a shortage of drivers.
The district has faced a bus driver shortage continually throughout the years, but this current shortage is persistent enough that it has caused the district to examine different options.
Right now the district is down drivers for 1.5 routes, which means some in-town stops have been removed.
“We’re overcrowded on our buses, we’re overloaded and those are the biggest buses we have, so we can’t continue to do that,” said Mike Manuello, director of the transportation and maintenance departments.