Strained transportation

Many students want to ride on the magic school bus - but Ms. Frizzle seems to have abandoned her post.

Though ECISD's buses may not transform into rockets or submarines, riding to school for free is something fairly magical in itself, given the high cost and amount of fuel it would take to drop students off, go to work and repeat 10 times each week.

Alas, to make matters worse, the magic has ceased to bring Ms. Frizzle back.

"We have 16 job openings, and this shortage is nationwide," ECISD transportation director David Morris said.

Morris said part of the reason for the bus driver shortage is due to the drivers' hours.

"It's a part-time job versus a 40-hour work week. We're only able to work while school's in, and we're not employed during the summer," he said. "It's a certain niche for workers: some households need to supplement their income and some retirees come work, providing only a limited number of workers."

Morris said he's made some ground, having recently hired 10 people, but the task of having to hire 16 more in the next three weeks could still leave shortages.

"In those cases, other personnel like mechanics and office personnel have to take double duty," he said.

ECISD bus driver Debbie Thomas said the mechanics are the unsung heroes of the shortage problem.

"The specialists work all the time, and they really work hard - they're the ones who are really pulling double shifts, and that really helps," she said.

She said filling in for drivers is a difficult task for mechanics and office personnel.

"They're the ones who don't know the kids or the routes," she said. "Sometimes en route, they're asked to go to a certain address and someone meets them there with a route. Sometimes they drive two or three or four routes - they're the ones who really pick up our slack."