MSBSD announces rolling bus cancellations, cites driver shortage

With school getting underway this week, the Matanuska Susitna Borough School District’s (MSBSD) new school bus contractor, Durham School Services, said that they will not have enough bus drivers to run all of the regular education routes in the core area.

In a statement to MSBSD families, it was said that “due to the national bus driver shortage and competition with tour bus companies. The unexpected driver shortage will require rolling transportation cancellations for the start of this school year.” The statement went on to acknowledge how disruptive the bus cancellations will be to families.

While the school district did not have further information at the time, reaction was swift on social media, with many wondering how long the new bus contractor was aware of the shortage and why more wasn’t done to let families know sooner. There is also frustration with the impact of rolling bus cancellations on PLC Mondays, when select schools are scheduled to start later to accommodate teacher development, assessment, and collaboration.

Others were more understanding of the situation, stating that bus driver shortages were also impacting Anchorage and Fairbanks school districts.

The MSBSD website listed a schedule of the routes and days the rolling cancellations are expected. Remaining routes should also expect delays as substitute drivers may be driving new routes.

The rolling bus cancellations will not impact special education routes. Shuttles that support non-traditional schools including American Charter, Burchell High School, Career and Tech High School, Mat-Su Middle College and Valley Pathways will be canceled on the same day buses are canceled at the students’ boundary school (for example, there will be no shuttle to Career & Tech HS from Palmer HS on the day that Palmer HS has no buses).

MSBSD did extend that all absences will be excused for any students who are unable to attend in-person due to bus cancellations. Families are asked to contact schools and/or teachers regarding any needed support in making up work.

An update is expected by Friday, August 26.

For more information about the schedule for regular education transportation cancellations, visit matsuk12.us/buscancellations.