Many schools across the state are experiencing a shortage of bus drivers. At Monday night’s Knoxville school board meeting Brenda Dunkin and Billy Burkhart with the Transportation Office proposed a plan to address a potential shortage, which the board approved. Should a shortage of bus drivers occur, the plan would be for buses on the impacted route or routes to pick up students on hard surfaces only, which would allow for one driver to cover two routes. Knoxville Schools Business Manager Craig Mobley tells KNIA/KRLS News that while it’s good to be prepared, they hope the new plan is rarely used.

“I’m hoping we don’t have to use this, but in the case of an emergency we will make that communication to parents just as quickly as we can and as soon as we know and like I said hopefully we won’t have to use this policy or procedures very often.”

Mobley added that the plan will continue to keep the amount of time kids spend on the bus under an hour.