MARTIN COUNTY — The Martin County School District is consolidating several school bus routes in an effort to reduce costs, with the changes expected to save about $255,000 annually.
District staff identified inefficient routes and combined them with existing routes as part of an effort to address a driver shortage, rising transportation costs and declining ridership.
Transportation Director Ruth Spires said the route changes will not result in layoffs, noting the district was already operating with fewer drivers than needed last school year.
"We were already challenged with shortage last year. So the routes that were cut, the drivers were already covered," she said. "I have 55 drivers, I have 55 routes that we were covering last year, and no driver was fired, all my drivers returned this year."
Some drivers remain concerned about the long-term effects of reducing the number of routes.
"I know everyone has a job to do, but I just feel like transportation always gets the short end of everything," bus driver Tommy Kendall said. "It may be a close thing because we're short of drivers, but I don't think it will be a good idea to just cut routes."
Spires also said the changes will not reduce drivers' pay because compensation is based on the amount of work they perform.
"They're not working less hours," she said. "They get paid for what they work. So if they're picking up an extra route, let's say there's a route that only has two tiers on it has now picked up an extra tier like they had an elementary and a high school and now they're picking up a middle school, they will get paid for what they work."
The district said bus stop locations will remain the same as last year. Parents can find information about their child's bus route at martinschools.org.