Sheridan School District bus drivers have had a rough year.
Two drivers and the bus driver coordinator resigned in March, effective at the end of the school year. That followed numerous other resignations since 2019.
Drivers are retiring, seeking other jobs and quitting because of stress from disruptive student behavior and verbal abuse from parents.
Parents, too, are stressed about the uncertainties of daily school transportation for their children. Automated text messages about late or canceled buses from the school district come at the last minute, if at all. They take out their frustrations on drivers, especially on social media.
One positive is that students are not penalized if they are late or absent due to issues caused by the district’s transportation, Andy Mayberry, the district’s communications director, said.
The situation in Sheridan is particularly dire, but driver shortages have plagued districts across Arkansas, especially in rural areas.
RELATED: Arkadelphia schools consider recruitment of bus drivers in light of shortage
Drivers in Sheridan are scared to talk publicly because they fear retaliation by the school administration and the school board. They said that they turn in students for disciplinary problems, and they may or may not get a response from administration.
For all of these headaches, the drivers say the salary is too low.
The Sheridan administrators and the school board attempted to address low pay at Monday night’s board...
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