Millcreek bus driver shortages have led to the combination of routes from 80 down to roughly 66 throughout the district this year. The reduction in routes result in overcrowded buses and longer commutes for the nearly 6,400 students Millcreek serves.
A Millcreek bus driver, Paul* explained how it affects students as well as bus drivers, “The shortage of drivers has affected me personally, in the sense of overcrowding. When a bus no longer has a driver, that bus will be split between multiple buses, which in turn is overcrowding. Seventy-two kids is the max we can transport,” he said. “We can do this with elementary kids but middle schoolers and high schoolers is tough.
The district is dealing with the driver shortage by raising starting wages for drivers to $22.50 per hour to remain competitive in the area. The district has also leaned on the Stopfinder app, an online bus route tracker, to communicate real-time delays and route changes directly to parents, which has helped the district move away from phone or email alerts for transportation communication.
Stela Bojkic, a McDowell freshman and bus rider, has been frustrated by the system. “My bus time has been changed almost five times already this year. It is supposed to be 6:23 a.m., but my bus still comes at a later time which is 6:26 a.m., so I’m always there early while freezing,” she says.
However, changes that are made during the school day result in long announcements of bus changes at the end of each day, since phones are not allowed during the school day to alert students in any other way.
Additionally, the district partnered with the township to use BusPatrol AI cameras that automatically detect drivers who illegally pass stopped buses, an effort to prioritize student safety on bus routes.
The rising transportation expense was a major factor contributing to the overall 2.9% property tax increase approved for the 2025-2026 school year. While Millcreek’s transportation system is more technologically advanced than ever, that progress has come with a heavy price.
The use of safety tools like BusPatrol AI and the convenience of the Stopfinder app are significant wins for student security and parent communication. However, these features can’t fully mask the budget strain and a persistent driver shortage.
*The bus driver mentioned in the story is only referred to as his first name for privacy purposes.
