Baton Rouge School District May Hire First Student to Cover Bus Routes Amid Driver Shortages
The district is expected to assess the need for this partnership after the first week of the spring semester, which begins Monday.
East Baton Rouge Parish School Superintendent LaMont Cole is considering contracting with First Student, a major school transportation provider, to cover select bus routes following a series of ongoing staffing challenges. The district is expected to assess the need for this partnership after the first week of the spring semester, which begins Monday.
Cole, who started his role in August, has been working to resolve a transportation crisis that disrupted operations last school year. With a significant shortage of drivers, the district struggled to provide reliable bus services, leading to disruptions and a two-day sickout by drivers.
The School Board approved a plan on Dec. 19 to contract with First Student for up to 10 routes, starting Jan. 6 through the end of May, at an estimated cost of $470,000. The contract would cover 10 routes daily for 89 days, with additional fuel costs totaling $65,000. However, Cole emphasized that the district may not need to spend the full amount. As more drivers are hired, the need for First Student's services may decrease.
"We're going to run daily analytics next week to assess the situation," Cole said. "By the end of the week, we'll know if we need them or if we can manage with our own staff."
The potential hiring of First Student marks a significant shift for a district that has traditionally resisted privatization of its bus fleet. First Student, based in Cincinnati, will deploy its drivers to help cover routes, as the district continues to fill vacant positions. The move comes after the district had more than 20 vacant routes in November, with First Student offering to support a maximum of 10 routes without facing staffing challenges.
Despite its large scale, First Student has faced its own difficulties recently, with drivers at its Central and Zachary facilities voting to unionize. Workers raised concerns about the company's failure to honor promises related to work hours and job conditions.
For now, Cole is holding out hope that the district's growing staff of drivers will make external help unnecessary. However, he is prepared to move forward with First Student if the situation does not improve quickly.
