Monday’s first day at Rutherford County Schools arrived with a familiar challenge.
The district confirmed that two of its more than 1,000 bus runs were without a driver at the start of the week.
“Rutherford County Schools welcomed back more than 50,000 students for the first full day of school today,” said the district in a statement provided Monday. “As part of the back-to-school season, we also have more than 1,000 bus runs, and like many other districts in the area, we are working diligently to find bus drivers and contractors to fill all routes. As of this morning, we have all but two runs covered. One is a run at John Colemon Elementary in Smyrna and the other is at Siegel High School in Murfreesboro. In the meantime, we have communicated to those parents who are affected, and we greatly appreciate their patience and understanding as we work to resolve the issue.”
History of Busing Challenges
Unlike Metro Nashville Public Schools, Rutherford County does not retain school bus drivers as full-time employees. Instead, it hires more than 120 contractors to provide transportation for students…