BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer
MILLSTONE – Some bus drivers are looking to leave the Millstone Township School District, according to their union representative.
Business Administrator Brian Boyle announced at the June 25 Board of Education meeting that courtesy busing is not being eliminated but the bus routes are changing this fall as a result of the opening of the new middle school on Baird Road.
“In 2006-2007 and before, our buses dropped off and picked up at the high school, then the middle school and finally the elementary school,” he said.”
Boyle explained that there will now be two sets of in-district routes.
“One set will pick up and drop off at the high school and the elementary school,” he said. “The other will pick up and drop off at the middle school and primary school.”
Boyle said the new arrangement will require more drivers to handle the in-district routes, so there will be fewer drivers available for out-of-district runs. He said the district may have to contract with private busing companies to provide students transportation to out-of-district schools.
Boyle also announced that the amount of time each bus driver will work will be reduced because they are traveling to two schools rather than three schools.
Millstone’s Laura Kohler, who is the union representative for the district’s bus drivers, said there are currently 37 bus drivers, 12 of whom work full time.
Under the school district’s new plan, all drivers would become part-time drivers, but would keep their benefits, she said.
“It’s nice to keep the benefits, but what good are they if we can’t keep a roof over our heads?” she asked.
Some of the drivers whose hours are being cut from eight hours to 4 1/2 hours per day are looking to leave the school district, according to Kohler.
Kohler said the drivers do not want to lose the out-of-district runs to private companies.
Boyle said the school district would prefer to transport all Millstone children with district buses and drivers, if logistically possible.
“At this point, it does not look as if we will be able to do so,” he said. “We are hoping we can hire more drivers, but there is a national shortage of school bus drivers.”
Boyle said the school district will continue to advertise for and recruit drivers.
Boyle said by law, the Board of Education can spend up to $826 per student for transportation to out-of-district schools.
“If the costs go above that threshold, we provide aid in lieu of transportation at $826 per student,” he said. “If a child lives 20 miles or more from the school they attend, they receive no aid.”
Kohler said the problem could be rectified if the elementary and primary schools changed their opening times by 10 minutes, with the elementary school opening at 8:45 a.m. and the primary school at 8:55 a.m.
Boyle said, “We have no control over when the high school starts the school day. Therefore, our school schedule is pegged to the high school.”
Boyle said he will hold a meeting at the end of July with parents to further discuss the busing situation.