BY MATT LINDSEY
North Country This Week

CANTON – Canton Central, like all other schools in St. Lawrence County, is facing a critical shortage of qualified bus drivers.

At the Jan. 7 school board meeting, Board Member Eileen Raymond requested an update on progress of finding substitute drivers.

Canton Central could have used the substitute drivers this week after four members of the transportation department were placed in quarantine due to COVID.

Even prior to COVID, local districts were facing transportation staff shortages.

“The greatest category I would say across the region in terms of substitute availability for transportation are retired drivers,” Burke said.

Retired drivers are sought after because there are fewer and fewer new bus drivers applying at schools.

The superintendent said that passing the school bus driver test is a “Herculean feat.”

Burke said the requirements changed about two years ago, making it much more difficult to get qualified. “You almost have to be a mechanic, in addition to be a driver in order to pass the test now,” Burke said.

Mrs. Raymond asked Burke if the district could promote the need for bus drivers; something beyond the scope of placing classified ads in newspapers.

Burke stressed that this is not just a Canton Central issue, that the shortage of drivers is a statewide problem and that local lawmakers are aware and are working on potential solutions through legislation.

“We’re just not getting a lot of progress on it,” he said.

He said the school had hopes for a couple new people passing the test, but it did not happen.