WILSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WTVF) — Wilson County Schools may have an early holiday present for parents: fewer bus route delays and cancellations when students return from winter break in January.
District leaders say they will have enough bus drivers hired to cover all routes, marking a significant improvement after a year of transportation challenges that left many families scrambling for alternative arrangements.
Parent Lily Brady has noticed the positive changes firsthand. She previously kept a stack of printed emails from Wilson County Schools, each one notifying her that her son's bus was delayed or canceled.
"I just recently threw those papers away," Brady said. "This school year especially with transportation has been so much better. It's not been great."
The relief is evident for Brady, who described feeling "a completely different energy" compared to previous months.
"It is good as a parent to not feel the stress of the unknown," Brady said. "Morning times have been fantastic, especially the past two months."
The district's transportation director announced they are in a good place with bus driver staffing. In the new year, they anticipate having more certified drivers ready to cover every route.
District spokesperson Bart Barker said communication and awareness have played crucial roles in improving their staffing situation.
"I think the thing, as you said, is awareness. I think as we move along, I think families and school communities understand that the need for more drivers is the driving factor. Pun intended," Barker said. "So we are on a good uptick right now, and we just want to sustain that."
While improvements are significant, challenges remain. The district still needs substitute drivers to cover for those calling out or taking time off.
"We do have occasional bumps in the afternoon, but nowhere near like the morning or what we had last year," Brady said.
The transportation improvements have had positive effects beyond just logistics. Brady reported that her son came home with all A's on his report card, crediting the more reliable transportation for contributing to his academic success.
Due to these staffing improvements, the district has also abandoned an earlier proposal to adjust school start times.
Wilson County Schools continues to encourage anyone interested in becoming a bus driver to reach out to the district.
Have thoughts on this story or similar transportation challenges in your school district? Email reporter Amanda Roberts at Amanda.Roberts@NewsChannel5.com with your experiences.
This story was reported on-air by Amanda Roberts and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
