Transportation issues continue to be a topic of discussion at Yuma School District-1 Board of Education meetings, and board members are increasingly leaning toward higher salaries.
The district is short of full-time drivers, and has gone to utilizing staff members to drive routes in mini-buses. The district also eliminated three in-town stops in October, with overcrowding also being an issue.
The board of education was told, Monday night during its regular monthly meeting, that it worked for a short while, but parents started taking their children to unlicensed daycare locations to get picked up. Therefore, the district has determined only licensed daycare locations will serve as an official stop.
“We’ve tried to be reasonable and accommodating,” Superintendent Dianna Chrisman said.
Transportation Supervisor Jeanne Yenter said the addition of a mini-bus route has helped some country students get home earlier than they had been. She said two buses were in the shop. The Wray schools helped with a route last Friday. (It was related to the board that the Wray district sent a note to Yuma about how well-behaved the Yuma students were.)
The district has one more mini-bus on the way, which will allow for another route.
Yenter reported that parents are frequently request their children be dropped off somewhere than their normal drop-off. She told the board those requests simply cannot be accommodated considering the current situation.
Board members mentioned about the calls they are receiving. Yenter asked the board members to please have those people call her, as she would be happy to discuss and explain the situation.
Board members said it may take higher salaries to attract drivers. Chrisman said pay has not seemed to be the issue in the past with potential drivers, but instead the awkward hours and being responsible for so many students.
However, she said higher pay is being discussed. She further explained the discussion for higher pay also includes other positions such as custodians and secretaries.
