CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WNCN) — At least 25 Chapel Hill-Carrboro School bus drivers and staff are out sick with COVID-19 or other illnesses impacting 21 bus routes, according to the school district.
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools informed parents on Friday that several members of their transportation team tested positive for COVID-19 or were “feeling ill.” The district said that as of Sunday afternoon, at least 25 staff members — out of 42 drivers and office staff — will be out sick for the next several days.
The morning and afternoon bus runs will be significantly impacted this week. The school system said they are already impacted by a shortage of drivers under normal circumstances.
Initially, school officials said 17 routes would be impacted, but later Sunday night added four more buses to the list.
In the mornings, the following bus runs will be uncovered from Feb. 20-22:
- Bus 7
- Bus 19
- Bus 20
- Bus 22
- Bus 40
- Bus 65
- Bus 66
- Bus 67
- Bus 69
- Bus 71
- Bus 76
- Bus 81
- Bus 114
- Bus 116
- Bus 128
- EC Bus 130
- Bus 131
- Bus 132
- EC Bus 143
- Bus 144
- Bus 247
“We ask that families please make alternate travel arrangements for school, or, contact our Transportation office at (919) 942-5045 beginning Monday at 6:30 a.m. and we will arrange to have another bus pick up your student as soon as one can be made available, which will be after 9 a.m.,” said the school system.
The district also indicated that the student would not be considered tardy due to the driver shortage.
In the afternoons, families of students in kindergarten through second grade are asked to pick up their child at the bus stop. Per district policy, if any of those students are driven back to school because their was no adult at the bus stop, it will lengthen the delays.
The district said they will cover all elementary schools and EC buses first, then move to the middle and high schools. Middle and high schools may have more significant delays than the elementary students.
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools are reaching out to nearby school districts that have President’s Day off for assistance. The district is also contacting Chapel Hill transit to ask for assistance. Information regarding standard routes and schedules are available here.
School bus information is also sent through the “Here Comes the Bus App“. Your student’s school ID number and the district Code of 86446 is needed to sign in.
