School district implements transportation blackouts

The Churchill County School District’s problem with providing transportation to area students has taken a turn for the worse, according to a letter the superintendent sent home last week.

The school district is advising parents of a change within the transportation department. Due to a shortage in staffing, the district said it can’t meet its transportation needs. In statistics included in December’s packet of information for trustees, Churchill County has six openings for bus drivers and one each for a transportation specialist and transportation trainer.

CCSD has faced transportation issues before and during COVID-19. According to the information released to parents, the school district is aggressively seeking drivers.

“We are looking at potential hiring incentives and other recruitment efforts in hopes of seeing a rise in bus driver applications,” Superintendent Derild Parsons said in his letter.

Because of the shortage, Parsons said the school district will be operating a rolling blackout schedule which will begin after the winter break Jan. 8.

“We anticipate this schedule will be in effect for the remainder of the 2023-24 school year,” he added.

Parsons emphasized the schedule is only for general education bus routes. He said special education routes and the Hazen and Middlegate routes will not be affected.

The first-year superintendent said the district will monitor its transportation services. He pointed out that any changes in the blackout routes will be sent through the StopFinder app and posted on the transportation department’s Facebook site.

Many parents commented on the school district’s Facebook page. Julie Wood said the school district should see if the current configuration of the schools is leading to the transportation woes. Churchill County doesn’t have neighborhood schools; instead, schools are divided kindergarten to first grade; second and third grades; fourth and fifth grades; middle school with sixth through eighth grades; and the high school.

“So many kids are not able to walk to school because of the non-neighborhood schools and that puts more kids on the buses,” she said. “I honestly think going to the K-5 would minimize the massive traffic jams at all the schools and the bus issues, but I am only seeing from the outside in so I obviously don't know the inner workings of things.”

Wood is also concerned with the parents who work a full-time job and can’t transport their youngsters who normally ride a school bus.

“Are those kids’ missed school days going to be excused?” she asked.

Wood also questioned why the school district released the information an hour before the December school board meeting.

“This is a huge inconvenience for many since so many have to work outside of this town,” Rosa Scott said on the Facebook page.

Retired CCSD Transportation Director Steve Russell said there’s a limited number of qualified drivers. He said a drivers’ shortage leads to problems with hiring qualified school bus drivers.

“When you only have 14 to 16 drivers for the system that takes 30, something has to give,” Russell said. “Another thing, not everyone who applies to become a school bus driver can do the job. Either the driving skills lack to operate a large vehicle or having 60 students behind you presents a problem with concentrating on the road.”

A student said her parent leaves for work early in the morning, which leaves her without transportation to school.

The school district has previously cited the strong economy and more full-time employment in Churchill County and the surrounding area such as the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center west of Fernley as reasons for the shortages.

Churchill County isn’t the only district affected by a transportation shortage. In comparable school districts as of Monday, Lyon County is seeking six bus drivers, Humboldt County and Carson City each have an opening for a substitute driver. Douglas County has one opening each for substitute driver and an aide and a vacancy for a route driver. Elko County is advertising for substitute drivers.

Parsons assures parents the school district will announce any change to the blackout schedule or if the district hires additional drivers to restore the routes.

Blackout dates for January and February

• Yellow zone routes #41, #1, #16, #24: Blackout dates Jan. 8-13 and Feb. 5-9.

• Red zone routes #8, #36, #38: Blackout dates Jan. 15-19 and Feb. 12-16.

• Blue zone routes #10, #25, #37, #60: Blackout dates Jan. 22-26 and Feb. 19-23.

• Green zone routes #33, #47, #48: Blackout dates Jan. 29-Feb. 2 and Feb. 26-March 1.