The Massachusetts National Guard was activated to help communities with student transportation as the state contends with a shortage of bus drivers at the start of the school year.
An order from Gov. Charlie Baker on Monday provides up to 250 personnel to assist local communities with training starting Tuesday for 90 members in several cities. The decision comes as states across the country deal with shortages of drivers, with many resigning over restrictions associated with the coronavirus pandemic.
National Guard members will drive the 7D transportation vans instead of school buses. To drive the vehicles, they must have a commercial driver’s license.
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“Once it became pretty clear that there were going to be some communities shorthanded — it wasn’t going to be a vehicle issue, it was going to be people with CDLs — we started talking to the Guard,” Baker said, according to CBS Boston. “There are a bunch of communities who have said they’re interested in this, and we’re glad to be able to help because it’s important.”
States nationwide are facing similar shortages. Some school systems offer incentives for those willing to get a CDL, including hiring bonuses, license training, and increased hourly pay.
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Schools in Boston had their first day of the school year last week, during which more than 1,200 buses ran late. Forty percent of the late buses did not arrive before the first bell rang, according to the Boston Globe.
There will be 90 drivers in the cities of Lowell, Lynn, Chelsea, and Lawrence from the National Guard starting training on Tuesday. The cost of the drivers will be covered by the state, as it is a direct complication from the pandemic, Baker said, according to CBS Boston.
In his announcement, Baker insisted the mission “will not interfere with the Massachusetts National Guard’s ability to respond to and assist in emergencies within the Commonwealth.”
