Bus driver shortage will impact high school students living within 1.5 miles of Mahomet-Seymour High School

*This story was updated on 8.16.2022 with new information regarding bus routes. See below. 

The Mahomet-Seymour School District will not transport high school students who live within 1.5 miles and do not qualify for “hazard transportation” of Mahomet-Seymour High School during the 2022-23 school year, according to an email sent by the district’s transportation department on August 8.

“This affects those that live in the subdivisions of Timber Ridge, Dale Valley (Maywood area), Western Hills (connected to State St, west to Turkey Farm Rd), Timberview, Sunnydale Acres, and Riverview (South of 150 and North of the river), and Taylor’s Commercial (East of 47 on Franklin St),” Director of Transportation Jeremy Roark wrote.

The decision will impact about 124 students who will be required to walk to school.

Roark included that the district does not receive funding to provide transportation within the 1.5 mile radius. The state of Illinois will reimburse districts partially for the cost of transportation for students who live outside of the 1.5-mile radius, but not within, if the student’s route to school is not declared hazardous, meaning the walking route does not “constitute a serious hazard to the safety of the pupil that is due to vehicular traffic or rail crossings.”

In an interview later in the week, Superintendent Kenny Lee said that the decision hinges on the number of bus routes the district can run with a shortage of bus drivers. He said that if the district can hire more drivers throughout the school year, high school students within that radius could see bus service reinstated.

“When we get a couple of weeks into school, if we have a decrease in ridership because of football or cross country or students decide that they want to ride with their friends or we hire more drivers, we’ll revisit that then because that’s a service that we’ve been providing for a few years and we’d like to continue to do so.”

Lee said that the district is aware that this decision affects families who may have fewer resources than those who live outside of the 1.5-mile radius. He is also aware that as inclement weather takes hold within the Midwest, walking conditions can become dangerous. Lee said he will take those considerations into winter weather decisions, but at this time, focusing on getting more bus drivers is the district’s focus.

Currently, three drivers are being reviewed, which includes background checks, which can take a few weeks to complete. Roark will also drive a bus route this school year to help fill the gap.

Within recent years, many school districts throughout the nation have been in constant bus driver hiring and training mode. Mahomet-Seymour is no different. Tactics, such as putting a bus with a sign in front of the Mahomet Public Library and listing positions on the internet, have been used to try to attract new drivers.

Lee, though, did not comment on other factors that might attract bus drivers to be employed by the Mahomet-Seymour School District because the district is still in contract negotiations with the Mahomet-Seymour Education Association. Those negotiations have been ongoing throughout the summer, and at this point, a new contract has not been released.

Updated 8.16.2022

Transportation Director Jeremy Roark sent a message to parents within Mahomet-Seymour Bus Route #6 on after 10 p.m. August 15 to inform them that the district only has 4 of the 5 full-time drivers it needs to cover the 2022-23 routes. One of those drivers is Roark.

With school starting on Wednesday, Roark wrote, “Due to projected capacity issues, I do not see a way to combine anything for the morning at this time. This route will likely remain empty through the month of August at least, while we are training and licensing new drivers.

If you are able to transport or find your child an alternate way to school, please do so to avoid their late arrival.

If your student will still need transportation, please call the Transportation office at 217-586-4443 to speak with us or leave us a message. Alternatively, you can email us at transportation@ms.k12.il.us
and the message will forward to me.

Once I complete my morning route, I will run through the route to pick up those that can not make alternative arrangements, but I will not be able to depart Lincoln Trail until approximately 8 AM. That is about half an hour later than Route #6 is scheduled to depart. Those transported to the High School will arrive at school approximately 20 minutes after the 8:15 AM bell. Those transported to the Junior High will arrive at school approximately 15 minutes after the 8:25 AM bell. I will inform the schools that they should anticipate some late arrivals, that way it can be properly notated and excused, due to short staffing in Transportation. I will be sending an additional message out about the afternoon route.”