BC proposing changes to bus eligibility for students K-12

Proposed plan | Share your feedback | Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) | Next steps | Help us find drivers

In response to a nationwide and local driver shortage, the Bethlehem Central School District is proposing changes to bus transportation eligibility to reduce the number of bus routes districtwide, beginning next school year.

The proposal is one part of a phased-in plan to address the ongoing bus driver crisis with long-term solutions. The district currently has 58 permanent drivers on staff to cover 59 bus routes every day. In 2019, the district had 87 permanent drivers. At that time, the district was already experiencing difficulty recruiting and training qualified candidates to replace retiring drivers. The pandemic and the current labor market shortage have put additional strains on staffing.

Recruiting as many drivers as possible, streamlining routes and ridership and building more efficiency into the system continue to be priorities for both the Transportation Department and the district. This year, the driver shortage has resulted in the high school having to return to an earlier start time, late arrivals and departures, changes to the late bus schedules for secondary students, and a shortage of buses for athletics and other afterschool or extracurricular needs.

To ensure quality transportation can be offered in the future, the district has embarked on a three-year plan that includes changes that could impact families.

BC Three-Year Plan to Address Bus Driver Crisis

Year 1 (2021-22): Increase recruitment strategies and pay for drivers (Approved) Join our driver team starting at $23.60/hour.
Year 2 (2022-23): Change transportation eligibility to expand walk zones around schools to reduce the number of district bus routes and drivers needed (In discussion)
Year 3 (2023-24): Possible changes to bell times at elementary, middle and high school to improve bus efficiency and restore later start time at BCHS (Future discussion)

Proposed changes to bus transportation eligibility for 2022-23

Since November, the Board of Education and district administrators have been discussing possible changes to bus transportation eligibility districtwide. These changes could impact up to 700 students beginning in 2022-23. The proposed changes shown on the maps below would need to be approved by a public vote in May before they could be implemented for the new school year.

If approved, the district expects it could eliminate 4-5 bus routes, reducing the number of drivers needed by 4-5 and helping to stabilize student transportation across the district. If the measure is not approved, a similar number of routes would still need to be consolidated, resulting in longer bus rides of up to an hour or more in some cases, and more students on each bus.

The district is asking for feedback on its initial plans to expand walk distances at the elementary, middle and high school levels. The proposed changes are as follows:

Elementary: 3/4-mile eligibility

Currently, all students attending one of the district’s five elementary schools are eligible for bus transportation. The proposed change would mean students living within 0.75 miles of their home school would not be eligible for bus transportation, beginning in 2022-23. Maps of the proposed walk zones can be found below. More detailed information, including street names and numbers, will be posted during the week of Feb. 7.

*The Glenmont plan affects fewer households due to the school’s location on Route 9W.

If a family’s home is within the large shaded area on these maps, the student would not be eligible for district transportation as part of the proposed change. The family would be responsible for getting their child to/from school.

Middle School: 1-mile eligibility

Currently, middle school students who live within 0.5 miles of the middle school are not eligible for transportation. The proposed change would expand that zone, meaning all students who reside within 1.0 miles of the middle school would not be eligible for transportation, beginning in 2022-23. A map of the proposed walk zone can be found below. More detailed information, including street names and numbers, will be posted the week of Feb. 7.

Bethlehem Central Middle School – Proposed Walk Zone 2022-23

If a family’s home is within the large shaded area on this map, the student would not be eligible for district transportation as part of the proposed change. The family would be responsible for getting their child to/from school.

High School: 1 1/2-mile eligibility

Currently, high school students who live within 1.0 miles of the high school are not eligible for transportation. The proposed change would expand that zone, meaning all students who reside within 1.5 miles of the high school would not be eligible for transportation, beginning in 2022-23. A map of the proposed walk zone can be found below. More detailed information, including street names and numbers, will be posted the week of Feb. 7.

Bethlehem Central High School – Proposed Walk Zone 2022-23

In determining the proposed walk zones, the eligibility threshold for each of the schools is measured as the shortest driving distance between the child’s residence and the child’s school. The proposed distances listed above are within New York State’s eligibility thresholds for school bus transportation. The state requires school districts to provide transportation to students in grades K-8 who reside more than two miles from school; and more than three miles for students in grades 9 through 12.

Feedback, questions and concerns

Please look at the map for the school(s) your child(ren) attend and email any questions or concerns to districtoffice@bethlehemschools.org by Tuesday, Mar. 15. All feedback will be reviewed and considered prior to the Mar. 16 Board of Education meeting. The next transportation presentation will take place at that meeting. The Board will make its final decision regarding transportation eligibility on March 16. District residents would be able to vote on any changes adopted by the board on May 17.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The Board of Education has been reviewing feedback received from parents, staff and community members. Here are answers to some of common questions about the proposed changes to transportation eligibility.

Next steps

Mar. 16, 2022: The Board of Education will vote on whether to move forward with changes to bus eligibility; if changes are approved, a public vote would be scheduled for May 17
Mar. 16-May 17, 2022: If a public referendum is to take place, information regarding the May 17 transportation vote will be shared with all district residents
May 17, 2022: Residents vote on proposed changes to transportation eligibility
Sept. 2022: If voters approve in May, changes would be effective beginning in the 2022-23 school year

Help us find drivers

BC is currently offering the highest hourly wage for drivers in Albany County, at $23.60 to start.

As BC’s Director of Transportation Karim Johnson likes to say, ‘Our most successful driver candidates have never driven anything larger than a Toyota Camry.” Drivers come from all kinds of backgrounds and are able to earn a competitive wage while securing benefits that include NYS retirement and health insurance. Flexibility in your schedule, paid training, paid holidays, and more make it an ideal career for many people.

There are referral bonuses for current employees and retention bonuses for eligible recruits. Learn more about working for the number one school district in the Capital Region.